Submitted by Sheldon H. Laskin (not verified) on June 5, 2008 - 11:39am.
Unfortunately, the word "concede" is just not in either of the Clintons' vocabularies. Her speech the other night was outrageous. Her invoking the "popular vote" is but the latest example of her duplicity. The implication, of course, is that Obama cannot win the popular vote in November. But this is based on the false premise that, assuming she really did "win" the popular vote in the primaries, those voters -- including in overwhelmingly Democratic states such as New York and California -- simply will not vote for him in the Fall. This fits in with her overall theme of the speech -- "he cannot win without me". After that speech, there is simply no way he can choose her as VP. If he chose her as VP and won, her spin would be that he couldn't get the job without her. No President can be so hobbled by his/her Vice President.
Obama should very quickly name Kansas Governor Kathleen Sibelius as his running mate. A popular, two term Democratic governor in a Republican state, Sibelius successfully took on Blue Cross/Blue Shield in rejecting a merger that was not in the public interest. She defied the NRA by vetoing a concealed carry law. Although the law passed over her veto, she easily won re-election. She is a pro-choice Catholic. At 60 years old, she will appeal to the angriest section of Clinton's constituency. And, she should help him in Ohio, where she grew up. Her father, John J. Gilligan, is a former congressman and Governor (they are the first father/daughter governors in US history). Last year, at 86, he stepped down from the Cincinnati School Board on which he served from 1999, so he is still well known to Cincinnati voters.
Naming Sebelius quickly will end the death by a thousand paper cuts the Clintons will otherwise inflict on Obama over the next five months as they triangulate to hold on to some sliver of national power. Yes, it will infuriate them but there is no rational, fair dealing with them. And all but the most fanatic Clinton supporters will like Sebelius once they get to know her.
Personally, I don't care if the Michigan and Florida Democratic parties chose to hold their 2032 primaries in 2008 -- vote early and often. But once the DNC announced the early primaries there wouldn't count, there is no way the results in those states could be accepted at face value. Obama met Clinton more than halfway in agreeing to split Michigan 69/59, which pretty much reflects her winning 55% of the Michigan popular vote. Donna Brazile says he had the votes for a 50 - 50 split, but met her more than halfway. Clinton continued to assert the Stalinist position that the results of a one-candidate election (Obama honored the spirit of the DNC decision by removing his name from the ballot, as did every major candidate other than Clinton) should be honored as reflecting the will of the voters. That most of her own supporters on the Rules Committee would not back her shows how out of touch with reality she is.
Yes, there must be unity but Obama must do that by reaching out, not to Clinton, but to her more reasonable supporters, who I am sure are the overwhelming majority. He should show respect to Clinton, and perhaps offer her a Supreme Court appointment. But if he named her as his running mate, that combination would make the John Adams/Thomas Jefferson matchup look like a lovefest.
I am so happy that I lived to see the day an African American was nominated as the presidential candidate of a major political party.
Obama and Clinton
Unfortunately, the word "concede" is just not in either of the Clintons' vocabularies. Her speech the other night was outrageous. Her invoking the "popular vote" is but the latest example of her duplicity. The implication, of course, is that Obama cannot win the popular vote in November. But this is based on the false premise that, assuming she really did "win" the popular vote in the primaries, those voters -- including in overwhelmingly Democratic states such as New York and California -- simply will not vote for him in the Fall. This fits in with her overall theme of the speech -- "he cannot win without me". After that speech, there is simply no way he can choose her as VP. If he chose her as VP and won, her spin would be that he couldn't get the job without her. No President can be so hobbled by his/her Vice President.
Obama should very quickly name Kansas Governor Kathleen Sibelius as his running mate. A popular, two term Democratic governor in a Republican state, Sibelius successfully took on Blue Cross/Blue Shield in rejecting a merger that was not in the public interest. She defied the NRA by vetoing a concealed carry law. Although the law passed over her veto, she easily won re-election. She is a pro-choice Catholic. At 60 years old, she will appeal to the angriest section of Clinton's constituency. And, she should help him in Ohio, where she grew up. Her father, John J. Gilligan, is a former congressman and Governor (they are the first father/daughter governors in US history). Last year, at 86, he stepped down from the Cincinnati School Board on which he served from 1999, so he is still well known to Cincinnati voters.
Naming Sebelius quickly will end the death by a thousand paper cuts the Clintons will otherwise inflict on Obama over the next five months as they triangulate to hold on to some sliver of national power. Yes, it will infuriate them but there is no rational, fair dealing with them. And all but the most fanatic Clinton supporters will like Sebelius once they get to know her.
Personally, I don't care if the Michigan and Florida Democratic parties chose to hold their 2032 primaries in 2008 -- vote early and often. But once the DNC announced the early primaries there wouldn't count, there is no way the results in those states could be accepted at face value. Obama met Clinton more than halfway in agreeing to split Michigan 69/59, which pretty much reflects her winning 55% of the Michigan popular vote. Donna Brazile says he had the votes for a 50 - 50 split, but met her more than halfway. Clinton continued to assert the Stalinist position that the results of a one-candidate election (Obama honored the spirit of the DNC decision by removing his name from the ballot, as did every major candidate other than Clinton) should be honored as reflecting the will of the voters. That most of her own supporters on the Rules Committee would not back her shows how out of touch with reality she is.
Yes, there must be unity but Obama must do that by reaching out, not to Clinton, but to her more reasonable supporters, who I am sure are the overwhelming majority. He should show respect to Clinton, and perhaps offer her a Supreme Court appointment. But if he named her as his running mate, that combination would make the John Adams/Thomas Jefferson matchup look like a lovefest.
I am so happy that I lived to see the day an African American was nominated as the presidential candidate of a major political party.