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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNYT's Bill Keller: Obama-Clinton 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/09/opinion/keller-just-the-ticket.html... Hillary Clinton is 64 years old, with a Calvinist work ethic, the stamina of an Olympian, an E.Q. to match her I.Q., and the political instincts of a Clinton. She has an impressive empathic ability invaluable in politics or statecraft to imagine how the world looks to an ally or adversary. She listens, and she learns from her mistakes. She was a perfectly plausible president four years ago, and that was before she demonstrated her gifts as a diplomatic snake-charmer. (Never mind Pakistan and Libya, Im talking about the Obama White House.) She is, says Gallup, the most admired woman in America for the 10th year in a row, laps ahead of, in order, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin and Condoleezza Rice; her approval rating of 64 percent is the highest of any political figure in the country.
... The proposal to draft her in place of Obama this year is preposterous. It exaggerates the presidents vulnerability and discounts Hillarys loyalty. But the idea that she should replace Joe Biden as Obamas running mate in 2012 is something else. It has been kicking around on the blogs for more than a year without getting any traction, mainly because it has been authoritatively, emphatically dismissed by Hillary, Biden and Team Obama.
Its time to take it seriously.
I know the arguments against this scenario, and well get to those. But the arguments in favor are as simple as one-two-three. One: it does more to guarantee Obamas re-election than anything else the Democrats can do. Two: it improves the chances that, come next January, he will not be a lame duck with a gridlocked Congress but a rejuvenated president with a mandate and a Congress that may be a little less forbidding. Three: it makes Hillary the partys heir apparent in 2016. If she sits out politics for the next four years, other Democrats (yes, Governor Cuomo, we see your hand up) will fill the void.
JTFrog
(14,274 posts)He already asked Biden. Biden accepted.
It's what's best. Get the fuck over it already.
I had to explain this all to my husband, again, because he heard a rumor that she would be his running mate.
Stop confusing the blonde guy, please.
treestar
(82,383 posts)I guess there will be another such post as the OP in 2.4 days.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Whisp
(24,096 posts)I just don't understand this part. What she will do is get the RW even more nuts and hot and bothered with their insanity than they are even now. Obama has a good and solid loyality among Democrats so to put Hillary in just to appease some disgruntled PUMAs seems like not such a good idea.
hlthe2b
(102,360 posts)At least if NYT is speculating on Hillary's future, it is positive. A nice change from so many Dem-related stories lately and the 24/7 fixation with the morons on the RW.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)pleading with all Dead-Horse-Beaters to please the fuck stop.
Or, you know, not.
Whisp
(24,096 posts):brings out abacas:
something don't add up
BootinUp
(47,187 posts)CakeGrrl
(10,611 posts)It improves the chances that he will be a "rejuvenated president with a mandate"?
How the hell does it do THAT???
And if people are chomping at the bit to see Hillary in 2016, making her VP isn't going to change that. If she's a shoo-in, she's a shoo-in.
So dumb.