2012 elections and the VP choice or how Obama can secure his victory

[Piquechampion]

I'm a casual follower (not an expert) of the US elections, and it got me thinking: with the current parade of clowns/inept the Republican primaries has been having and no clear, charismatic leader that can surely defeat Obama, does anybody here knows what will be his choice for VP???

I mean, Biden is such a useless character that it would be best if the dropped him. If he were to run with Clinton in the ticket, his re-election would be assured (and by a wide margin).

Thoughts.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

It's been brought up in the past but is highly unlikely to happen. If a president dumps a VP for the second term it's an admission of weakness in the administration and would clearly be exploited by the opposition. Besides, I think Hillary Clinton wants to take the next four years (she has already said she would step down in a second term) and decide whether or not she will run for POTUS in 2016.

 

[evanrick]

She did get more votes than Obama, she has more experience, but not as much money and not as much backing from the media that Obama enjoyed.

HC may have proven to be a better President than Obama, and to put her on the ticket as VP would be an acknowledgement of that.

However, it could have been disastrous for Obama, to have HC there knowing she could challenge him in a primary, which would open the door for tons of debate about Obama's weaknesses in a way that Biden wouldn't.

Its too bad that HC probably wont to a lot of campaigning for Obama either, as the secretary of state doesn't really do that kind of thing.

Id be surprised if she ran in 2016, but maybe not, as it will be a wide open race.

If she does run in 2016, Im not so sure she could repeat the performance she gave in 2008. 8 years is a long time. I think she would run for senate again or another office, perhaps NY governor or something to that effect before running for president again.

The 2008 primary was historic, in the sense that it unified democrats like we have never seen. HC was important in energizing a lot of voters, nearly 18 million, with over 35,400,000 (35.4 million) casting votes for Obama and Clinton in the primaries alone.

If Hillary does run in 2016, I think it would be good for the party, as we have learned from the 2012 republican primaries, im sure a lot of those people who dropped out are kicking themselves now that Romney is imploding.

 

[Zeno Lorea]

Presidents have switched running mates before. FDR had three!

Whoever Obama chooses, I do think it's time for a woman. And now that Messina has a western pathway in his famous top five "pathways to 270", may I suggest, like I did four years ago, two-term AZ governor and now secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano? She would rally the base and be a boost for women, but also bring in independents and swing voters. Clinton is great, but a bit polarizing. Obama's greatest strength is his mastery of the art of compromising, after all.

 

[evanrick]

Napolitano is an intriguing proposition but she doesnt 'pander' that well.

I know it sounds strange but from the small amout I know about her, there is some disconnect with her style and her audience.

Yes she would be an excellent VP, but that doesn't get you elected. Gore would have won by a landslide, but we know what happened there.

So its hard to speculate without knowing more.

And ive said before yeah Arizona will be pivotal this year, so there is some prospect there, except that governors don't typically do that well in the primaries.

As for rallying the base...you would have to go with Ron Paul or Bernie Sanders. I dont know enough about Napolitano to say weather she cares enough about the real issues in America, not just efficiently running government and selling your accomplishments, you have to be bold in your vision.

Bold enough to inspire a discourse on what we really believe in as Americans.

Lets talk about Sherrod Brown?

 

[MystikWizard]

Obama doesn't need to change VP's to win this election. The VP won't be a focus unless the Republican nominee picks a character from the same cloth as Sarah Palin. Only then will Biden be put into the spotlight.

As far as Zeno's comment above in saying that "it's time for a woman" ... why don't we pick who is most qualified or has shown to be a true leader instead of worrying about things people "identify" with? That mentality is one of the key reasons why politics is such a circus in this country.

 

[Zeno Lorea]

As far as Zeno's comment above in saying that "it's time for a woman" ... why don't we pick who is most qualified or has shown to be a true leader instead of worrying about things people "identify" with? That mentality is one of the key reasons why politics is such a circus in this country.

I didn't say "identity" is all that matters, but I'm pretty sure that among 155mn women, you can find a good veep (and potential president in 2016). I didn't say it has to be a black Jewish left-handed lesbian latina. But out of 44 presidents, 44 were men, 44 were christian, and 43 were white. If women make great senators, governors, ceos and supreme court justices, they might just make great presidents.

Just my two cents of course. And if you think American politics is a circus? By Jove, I'm an Austro-Italian of Argentine origins! Talk about three circuses!

 

[JayHawk]

Obama can not and will not switch VP's at this point in the game. if that was an option then it would have already been announced.

If he did then it does makes his first choice look weak and embarrassing.

Hillary Rodham Clinton does not have the fortitude to withstand another campaign trail on a national level. I think she WOULD have made a great President but that day is over.

That is the democrats second biggest challenge right now. Obama's choice in 08 means no one is positioned to be the anointed one out of a Obama eight year Presidency. SO when the republicans fail in this half ass attempt to take the Whitehouse you really will see a wide open race in 2016. With both Democratic and Republican circuses running under the big top.

 

[Jack Springer]

We're still dealing with the clown, 1/3-senator the country elected in 2008.

Clinton is heading to the world bank or retirement.

The world is about to explode and Clinton wants no part of it -- it's all in Barrack Hussein Obama's lap.

The 3am call is coming soon.

 

[unloadonme]

From this side of the pond it seems that Biden is the ideal VP. He doesn't steal the President's limelight and he doesn't create disasters which the President has to explain away. He's nice and invisible. Why change?

 

[Zeno Lorea]

From this side of the pond it seems that Biden is the ideal VP. He doesn't steal the President's limelight and he doesn't create disasters which the President has to explain away. He's nice and invisible. Why change?

Because he doesn't add anything to Obama's ticket other than age and white skin. In 2008, his 36 years of experience in the senate were a factor, but now that Obama is a four-year incumbent president, that appeal is gone.

 

[Kulindahr]

The only way Biden would be leaving the ticket is if he asked to be appointed something important -- ambassador to the U.N., maybe. Then it could be played that he wanted to move on to service in a different capacity, and Obama was graciously letting him do so. It would have to be something significant, though, or it would be seen as Obama ditching him no matter what the truth was.

 

[JayHawk]

We're still dealing with the clown, 1/3-senator the country elected in 2008.

Clinton is heading to the world bank or retirement.

The world is about to explode and Clinton wants no part of it -- it's all in Barrack Hussein Obama's lap.

The 3am call is coming soon.

Hate to break it to you spanks but the economy is slowly recovering (as predicted when it receded) ... the proverbial 3am call has come multiple times and President Obama has answered effectively.

The world explode.... thanks for the chuckle.

My staunch republican acquaintances say the same silly shit but fail to grasp that things are recovering and whats more the right is offering nothing but Bush with added insanity OR The car Salesman who will say anything to get elected.

 

[JB3]

He'd be stronger without Biden, but it would depend on who he chose to replace him. With Biden's age, it would be an easier out than with someone younger.

 

[Kulindahr]

If he could find someone like Al Gore before Gore went anti-gun -- a Hubert Humphrey style liberal . . . .


I'd love to watch the die-hard Beck and Palin fans in the NRA try to deal with an A-rated Democrat Veep pick. And maybe, just maybe, we'd be blessed with two minutes when Wayne LaPierre went speechless.

 

[Zeno Lorea]

The only way Biden would be leaving the ticket is if he asked to be appointed something important -- ambassador to the U.N., maybe. Then it could be played that he wanted to move on to service in a different capacity, and Obama was graciously letting him do so. It would have to be something significant, though, or it would be seen as Obama ditching him no matter what the truth was.

You'd think a man born in 1942 wouldn't mind retiring in 2013 rather than 2017, and people would accept it as well.

 

[hotatlboi]

Clinton has said she is retiring at the end of the first term.

I doubt she would be interested in this.

 

[PhunkSpunk]

Obama's a wash-out. I wish I'd worked the phones for HRC instead. She's have been an infinitely better president.

The 'recovery' has yet to trickle-down here. Every time a recession happens, the FOTG (Friends of Tim Geithner) just get richer . . . I understand The Great Gazoo is going to abandon ship too . . . to Wall Street.

 

[Just_Believe18]

He'd be stronger without Biden, but it would depend on who he chose to replace him. With Biden's age, it would be an easier out than with someone younger.

I agree. A VP is usually a strategic pick to garner votes and favoritism from a demographic or home state. Right now Biden is a net zero gain for Obama. It wouldn't hurt him at all to switch things up with a new VP that can give a burst of energy to his campaign. Remember, the GOP's field is horrific, so they're desperately going to use Christie or Rubio to energize the general election.

 

[Jack Springer]

Hate to break it to you spanks but the economy is slowly recovering (as predicted when it receded) ... the proverbial 3am call has come multiple times and President Obama has answered effectively.

The world explode.... thanks for the chuckle.

My staunch republican acquaintances say the same silly shit but fail to grasp that things are recovering and whats more the right is offering nothing but Bush with added insanity OR The car Salesman who will say anything to get elected.

Gas is going up daily in price, only new jobs that I know of are contract labor jobs - not real jobs, more people are giving up on looking for work.

The economy is recovering?

If you believe the spin .. yes it is.

Explosion -- Greece, Syria, Iran, ...