Mario Cuomo on "How to avoid a Democratic disaster" - - An Obama / Clinton Ticket

[jefferson_dem]

How to avoid a Democratic disaster
March 29, 2008

A DEMOCRATIC disaster in the November election looms, but it can be avoided by a demonstration of true leadership by the two candidates.

<SNIP>

No matter how all these challenging questions are resolved, the increasing contentiousness has left the two candidates - and more importantly their distinct constituencies - badly alienated. Polls show that if the battle continues to a conclusion at the convention, a significant portion of the constituency supporting the loser will refuse to vote Democratic in November. That could cost the Democrats the election and bring back "Bushism," assuring the continuance of the tragic Iraq war indefinitely.

Whose fault would that be?

The Democrats'.

Who can solve the problem?

Obama and Clinton can - by putting aside personal irritations, and to some extent personal aspirations, and agreeing to end the hostilities and form a ticket that offers both of them, a candidate for president and a candidate for vice president who is clearly good enough to serve as president, should the occasion arise. That candidate for vice president would also have a good chance of being elected president eight years from now because neither of the two would be too old in 2016. If they are not capable of doing that, the two could announce they will complete the primary schedule and convention with the winner becoming candidate for president and the other agreeing to be a candidate for vice president, thereby mollifying to some extent the constituency of the candidate who was not chosen as the nominee for president.

Think of it, over the next eight years we could elect both the first woman and the first African-American to become president. That's not a dream: It's a plausible, achievable, glorious possibility - if our two remaining candidates have the personal strength and wisdom to make it happen. The joint statement announcing their agreement would rock the nation and resound across the globe - sweeter than any political poetry; smarter and more meaningful than any tightly intelligent political prose.

If, on the other hand, the candidates refuse to work out a way to keep both constituencies firmly in the Democratic camp for the general election, the 2008 primary may be the story of a painfully botched grand opportunity to return our nation to the upward path, and leave us mired in Iraq and government mediocrity.

Mario M. Cuomo, former three-term governor of New York, practices law at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/29/how_to_avoid_a_democratic_disaster/

[joshcryer]

1. This will go over well here.

:popcorn:

[papau]

34. I also think it is the only solution

[joshcryer]

42. I believe so, too, but it won't go over here well at all. Look at the comments already.

[joshcryer]

45. Addendum: I think it's the *only* outcome.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Mario is one of those elders who matters a lot

Unfortunately, I don't think having Hillary on the ticket is either workable or desirable.

[speedoo]

10. This is the dumbest thing Mario has ever said.

Truly stupid.

[zonkers]

16. Retarded. The man is politically tone deaf. Hillary is damaged goods. Spun.

[BeyondGeography]

17. My reading of this is he prefers "Clinton/Obama," which forces me to amend my post to

Fuck off, Mario Cuomo.

He spends a lot of time talking about Florida and Michigan and there is this unsupported staement:

=="Recent polls of all Democrats show the two leaders virtually tied and indicate Clinton is more likely than Obama to win the states the Democrats must take in order to succeed."==

Mario is a great and eloquent man, but he's also a New York clubhouse guy at heart. This is a HillShill piece when all is said and done. I'm sure he was put up to it by her campaign.

[saltpoint]

32. Agree on all points.

[GarbagemanLB]

3. What exactly would Hillary bring to the ticket? Her 'foreign policy' experience? lol

[Diane R]

4. Just. No.

[WA98296]

5. I will not vote for that ticket. Not with Clinton: NO DLC, DINO repubs.

If that's the best the party can do, I'll vote elsewhere for the first time in my life (over 50)

[papau]

35. bye-bye

[McCamy Taylor]

6. To quote the great Irish author "Yes, I said, yes I will, yes"

:applause:

[tomg]

22. Never thought of Hillary as Molly. nt

[dailykoff]

7. How did Lieberman work out for Gore?

Fugetaboutit Mario.

[H2O Man]

8. When Mario Cuomo speaks,

I think it is important to listen closely to him. While I may not agree with him on a given topic, I've learned that he always has something insightful and important to say.

Nominated.

[dailykoff]

12. And if Hillary goes away he might get his son Andrew in her Senate seat.

And now Hillary's talking about Governor of NY, another possible perch. Better Mario should just work honestly to get Hillary recalled or impeached than saddle the entire nation with another backstabbing veep.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. There Is No Recall In The Constitution For Senators

And what is she going to be impeached for...

Enlighten us as to the high crimes or misdemeanors she committed while in office...

And Articles Of Impeachment have to be started by a House member not an ex-governor...

I am dumber for having read your post...

[dailykoff]

38. There are plenty of impeachable crimes that Clinton and other

senators have signed onto. We can discuss them in the September 11 forum if you'd like. It's cowardice and fear that has prevented anybody from going after the lot of them for sixteen freakin' years. Of course whenever anybody tries they seem to encounter unfortunate mishaps, see Wellstone and McKinney for starters, so I can't really blame them.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. Senators Can't Be Impeached

But let's say senators could be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors what high crimes and misdemeanors has Hillary Clinton committed ?

[dailykoff]

49. They can be expelled by 2/3 vote or forced to resign.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_senators_expelled_or_censured

[H2O Man]

36. I understand and

appreciate that many people are strongly opposed to a "unity ticket." At first, I thought it was a bad idea; then thought it might be good; but have concluded that Obama should select another person for VP.

(Impeachment is a remedy that applies to members of the executive and judicial branches of the federal government.)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. Thanks For Pointing That Out

Then what's the remedy for a senator who is guilty of malfeasance in office?

[H2O Man]

44. In general,

instances of suspected malfeasance are investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee, which reports to the full Senate.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

48. But What If It Is Found They Violated Senate Ethics

Is censure and stripping of seniority the remedy?

[dailykoff]

50. They can be expelled. (n/t)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

51. Thank You-By A 2/3 Majority

~

[H2O Man]

54. Wouldn't it be great

to see our legislative branch actually function as it is intended to? Discussions like this are fun for me, because I think the Congress is so important. But it has been broken .... first by corporate influence, and then by the slime associated with Newt Gingrich's "Contract on America."

[dailykoff]

47. Thanks. Apparently they can be expelled by 2/3 vote.

It's rare, but it's happened, and while basically I agree they're hard to get rid of once they're in office, they can be forced to retire or step down, and if the truth about some of their crimes ever got out they'd be only too happy to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_senators_expelled_or_censured

[H2O Man]

52. Yep.

I do not think that the Ethics Committee has been particularly impressive in recent times.

One of the frustrations that I think many of us feel is the manner in which elected officials become entrenched. It is difficult to remove them in primaries, and/or in general elections. I can remember in approximately 1982, when Senator Ted Kennedy said that the corporate influence was destroying both houses of congress -- their "contributions" bought more than the will of the voters. That is one of the things that makes me favor Obama to Clinton. There is the potential to move towards the restoration of our constitutional democracy.

[opihimoimoi]

9. I agree but the Many Naysayers/Skeptics/Vain/Greed /self interest/

May have insurmountable hurdles....

Democracy is still evolving...supposedly...always for the better...rough spots not with standing...

Bond Together is way better than the singular approach...

To defeat the common enemy requires skill.....

Skill in over coming hurdles and fences

[here_is_to_hope]

11. Um, to be insanely impolite, f*ck you Mario....n/t

[LakeSamish706]

13. I just don't see that working... Wish it could, but an Obama/Clinton ticket?

Not going to happen cause he would never be able to trust her for one thing and then he would have Bill there as well.... Nope, not gonna work.

[anonymous171]

14. I wouldn't mind Hillary as VP.

But unfortunately I know a lot of people who would.

[WA98296]

15. I sent the Obama campaign an email pleading for him to NOT consider her.

[OzarkDem]

18. Less experienced candidate at the top of the ticket

just because he's a man?

Well, Mario is a traditional Catholic American male. Can't expect him to be too liberated.

[jefferson_dem]

20. No... The man's at the top of the ticket just because...

HE WON.

:hi:

[OzarkDem]

24. In which universe?

Here on earth he hasn't won. :hi:

[LakeSamish706]

21. I think that it might have something to do with the fact that Obama is leading in all areas.duh. n/t

[anonymous171]

53. The candidate with the Message heads the ticket.

That way they can work off of a platform. Hillary does not have any message or platform right now that would work in the GE. Obama does. Therefore he would be at the top of the ticket.

[DrFunkenstein]

19. "Vote for Cuomo, Not the Homo"

Ah, 1977. Who could ever forget?

I'm sure Mario Cuomo's attempt to put Clinton on the ticket has nothing to do with giving his son, NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, a leg up when he inevitably runs for Governor of New York.

[tabasco]

23. I love Mario but he's completely wrong about this.

We need to break free from the DLC.

[my3boyz]

25. He's a Hillary supporter, right?

[Kahuna]

28. Yes he is. And he's been beating this dead horse for quite a while. nt

[IndianaGreen]

26. I no more want to see Hillary on the ticket than I do Joe Lieberman!

Anybody But Clinton!

BTW, Cuomo supports Hillary.

[Cha]

27. Sorry, Mario...no

deal. Obama can do just fine with his crew and judgement..don't need the Bosnia LIAR. But, thanks, for your input.

[mod mom]

29. No thank you. I like the Governorship-

[totodeinhere]

30. I wonder if putting Hillary on the ticket would lose more votes than it would gain?

[meow mix]

31. no more clinton dynasty. they have proven nothing matters to them but money and power.

they would rather see us lose, if they cant have thier whitehouse.
go away clintons.

[Swamp Rat]

37. Obama/Edwards or Obama/Kucinich.

[cbayer]

39. I could not agree more.

Two great candidates, virtually identical platforms, different styles and different constituencies.

If it happens, I will be one of the few around here that will have thought so. I want to believe that these two have the maturity and foresight to make it so.

[Raine]

43. NO

that just doubles all the negatives and gives everyone someone to hate.

[Life Long Dem]

46. Not again! Please!!

[MS Liberal]

55. Cumo is right.

Although I hate to admit it because I do not think Obama is ready for either position.