McCain’s Pick May Foster Bigger Campaign Role for Clinton

[Hope And Change]

McCain’s Pick May Foster Bigger Campaign Role for Clinton

By PATRICK HEALY
Published: August 31, 2008

ST. PAUL — Advisers to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Sunday that Senator John McCain’s selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate would lead to a greater role for Mrs. Clinton as she campaigned this fall on behalf of her former rival, Senator Barack Obama.

Mrs. Clinton’s friends said she was galled that Ms. Palin might try to capitalize on a movement that Mrs. Clinton, of New York, built among women in the primaries. And Democrats used strong words on Sunday to rebut the notion: Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts said that women would not be “seduced” by the Republican ticket, and Guy Cecil, the former political director of Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, said it was “insulting” for Republicans to compare Ms. Palin to Mrs. Clinton.

Nevertheless, Clinton advisers said they expected that a bloc of her female supporters would give Mr. McCain a second look because of Ms. Palin, and that Mrs. Clinton was probably Mr. Obama’s best weapon in response. But asked if the Palin pick would lead to a new political marriage between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, a senior Clinton adviser, Ann Lewis, said: “Not a political marriage. She is not on the ticket. Senator Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate. Hillary will do what she can to help.”

Mrs. Clinton’s advisers said they expected that in light of the Palin selection, she would focus her efforts especially on working women — middle- and working-class, married and single — in swing states where she ran strong, like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Obama’s advisers sharply disputed the argument that Clinton supporters might be drawn to Ms. Palin on the basis of sex, given that Ms. Palin opposes abortion rights and other commonly held positions for Democrats. But Clinton advisers presented a more nuanced view, saying that some of her supporters — they could not specify how many — could be open to the McCain-Palin ticket depending on how Ms. Palin performed and whether she appeared to be a forceful, sincere advocate for the concerns of working women, their families and for policies that would help them.


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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/us/politics/01clinton.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[RememberWellstone]

1. So now Obama needs us?

I was just getting used to supporting him...because my original candidate was Hillary. Obama did not even vet my candidate and now he decides to use Hillary? Because of fundy Veep that has nice legs? Right. Obama needs to run on what got him where he is. He had his chance with Hill, that chance is gone. He may ask her to be on the Supreme court..but she wanted to be President.

I am supporting Obama, don't get me wrong...but to react knee jerk to the rethugs is ridiculous.

[otohara]

3. Use Hillary?

I didn't get that part of the article - sounds to me like Hillary is the pissed off one and fired up. Does anyone use Hillary Clinton?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. Do you even know what you're talking about; or, are you still bitter about the primaries?

The article said nothing about Obama *using* anyone. If anything, sounds like Hillary herself is angry that McSame is exploiting Hillary's legacy for political expediency.

As a Hillary supporter, you should be angry, too instead of bashing the nominee and blaming Obama.

[No Elephants]

8. Obama has always needed all Demcrats, but America needs Obama Biden even more. Hillary wanted to be

President, but she did not make it. He is the candidate.

As far as VP, she is the one who told him not to vet her unless he was going to choose her. What the hell?

And, IMO, he would have been insane to choose her as his VP, for many, many reasons. The only thing tougher than an Obama ticket would have been a Hillary ticket and the only thing tougher than both would have been an Obama Hillary ticket.

[Willo]

9. Who is "us"?

As for vetting, Hillary said "if you're not going to pick me don't vet me."

It's understandable if someone doesn't want to be scrutinized without a definite, but you can't blame Obama for not agreeing to it.

Hillary did what she felt she needed to do to win the primaries. She is past the primaries if not totally over the disappointment of the outcome. Hopefully, you will get the difference.

Did you notice their (Hillary & Obama) interactions at Stephanie's funeral?

[otohara]

2. Good, After Her Tepid

statement - I was perplexed as to why she wasn't pissed.

Go expose that other woman as a fundie fraud Hillary.

[jgraz]

4. My first reaction to Palin was "Go get her, Hillary!"

Seriously, there is only one person in politics who can gut this new fish with impunity. You know if Obama or Biden attack her, the MSM will paint them as bullies. But if Hillary goes after Palin, people will see her as defending her legacy and being a good "team player".

Plus, Hill can turn on the flamethrower like nobody else. Wins all around.


Edit: speeling.

[No Elephants]

6. Passive aggressive much?

[jgraz]

7. Do you even know what that means? Maybe you can explain it to the rest of us.

But I doubt it.

[Karmadillo]

10. But, but, but she's a Washington Insider Racist who wants

nothing more than to undermine Obama's candidacy. She probably masterminded the Palin baby birth conspiracy that gets so much space here. Why? Maybe Bill's the father or maybe she wants to distract us from Palin's far right record. Clinton is double-edged evil, I'll tell you that. She'll either campaign for Obama knowing her all-encompassing unpopularity with the American People will lose him votes, or she won't campaign for him because she knows he can't win without the support of her millions of ardent supporters. See the web she weaves? No matter what, she gets what she wants. How evil is that?