Hillary as Vice-President

Some people may scoff at the Dream Ticket. Sen. Kennedy and House Speaker Pelosi reject it outright. But, it may well be that Hillary Clinton is vying for a VP slot. On April 23rd, I said:

Ultimately, David Gergen, a very prescient political analyst on CNN, may be right. He said it may be her calculation that by running until the end in a negative campaign, the party will be so divided that the VP slot MUST be filled by the losing candidate. The logic makes sense. So what if the party’s divided now. Obama needs Hillary and Hillary needs Obama. Hillary can at least be assured of a VP slot now.

If this is Clinton’s calculus, it is in her interest to stay in the campaign as long as possible. She cannot afford to have healing begin without her because this would obviate the need for her as a VP if Obama wins the nomination. She must carry on, attcking Obama for as long as possible if she wants to secure the VP slot.

Hey, it may not be pretty but it works.

The same dynamic still holds. Hillary Clinton still has the ability to turn her supporters against an Obama candidacy and split the party. There are those who believe she is holding out for a VP nod. After all, Dick Cheney has shown hat a strong VP can do. And with Bill and she together, the Vice-Presidency might be a strong card for Hillary. I tend to doubt she wants it. After all, she is a woman who likes power and control and the VP slot gives her neither. Moreover, it seals her fate as a Presidential candidate because she won’t be able to run in 2012 and she will be 69 in 2016, as old as the oldest persons ever elected President (William Henry Harrison and Ronald Reagan). This is Hillary’s last shot and she knows it. Hence, the desperation.

In the end, the VP slot may really be all that’s left for Clinton.

The Washington Post offers some thoughts on best VP candidates for both parties.