Clinton-Obama Ticket? Obama Says No Way
COLUMBUS, MISS. -- Barack Obama responded to the Hillary Clinton, who, along with her husband former President Bill Clinton, has floated the idea of a Clinton-Obama ticket - with Obama as the running mate - and accused her of trying to "hoodwink, bamboozle, and okey-doke" voters.
"I've won twice as many states as Senator Clinton. I've won more of the popular vote than Senator Clinton. I have more delegates than Senator Clinton. So I don't know how somebody who's in second place is offering the vice presidency to someone who's in first place," Obama said to voters here.
After suffering losses in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island, the Obama campaign promised to aggressively respond to criticisms from Clinton. Today was the first time that Obama responded to suggestions by Clinton and former President Bill Clinton of a Clinton-Obama ticket, which he took seven minutes to do.
"I do not believe Senator Clinton is about change, because in fact, this kind of gamesmanship — talking about me as vice president, but maybe he's not ready for commander in chief—that's exactly the kind of double-speak, double-talk that Washington is very good at."
Obama noted Bill Clinton's comments in 1992, when he explained his criteria for a vice president. According to the Obama campaign, Bill Clinton told CBS's Harry Smith that a vice president must be ready to lead from day one.
"Someone who would be a good president if, God forbid, something happened to me a week after I took office. That's the most important thing," Bill Clinton said in 1992.
Obama said that this criteria dismisses Clinton's argument that he does not have the experience to be president.
"I don't understand if, I'm not ready how is it that you think I should be such a great vice president? Do you understand that?"