#World news RSS feed Hillary Clinton RSS feed Barack Obama RSS feed US elections 2008 RSS feed US politics RSS feed Turn autoplay off Turn autoplay on Please activate cookies in order to turn autoplay off * Jump to content [s] * Jump to site navigation [0] * Jump to search [4] * Terms and conditions [8] Edition: UK * US Sign in Mobile About us * About us * Contact us * Press office * Guardian Print Centre * Guardian readers' editor * Observer readers' editor * Terms of service * Privacy policy * Advertising guide * Digital archive * Digital edition * Guardian Weekly * Buy Guardian and Observer photos * Subscribe Today's paper * The Guardian * Comment and debate * Editorials, letters and corrections * Obituaries * Other lives * Sport * Review * Travel * Family * Money * Work * Weekend * The Guide * Subscribe Subscribe * Subscribe to the Guardian * iPhone app * iPad edition * Kindle * Extra * Guardian Weekly * Digital edition * All our services The Guardian home ____________________ [UK and World news] Search * News * Sport * Comment * Culture * Business * Money * Life & style * Travel * Environment * TV * Data * Video * Mobile * Offers * Jobs * News * World news Election briefing Clinton-Obama dream ticket? Dream on * + Tweet this + IFRAME: http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?app_id=17841205555826 7&href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/06/hillaryclin ton.barackobama&send=false&layout=button_count&width=140&show_ faces=false&action=recommend&colorscheme=light&font=arial&heig ht=21 + [icon_reddit.gif] reddit this * Michael Tomasky * The Guardian, Wednesday 6 February 2008 * Article history About this article Close Michael Tomasky: Clinton-Obama dream ticket? Dream on This article appeared on p16 of the Main section section of the Guardian on Wednesday 6 February 2008. It was published on guardian.co.uk at 23.50 GMT on Wednesday 6 February 2008. It was first published at 23.50 GMT on Tuesday 5 February 2008. Is it really possible that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton could team up to make a Democratic "dream ticket"? Liberals have privately speculated on the possibility, but the subject was finally bruited publicly in last week's "peace pipe debate", the one where the candidates decided not to attack each other. Moderator Wolf Blitzer of CNN asked whether each would consider choosing the other as vice-presidential nominee. The mere question was met with thunderous applause by the live audience (which consisted, we should bear in mind, of intense partisans of one candidate or the other). And there is a history in US politics of seemingly bitter primary-season rivals burying the hatchet for the sake of the party and pretending they like each other for a few months. John Kennedy's selection of Lyndon Johnson as his running mate in 1960 is the most notable example. Both candidates ducked the question, making jokes and dismissing such talk as premature. But neither said no, and ever since not a few Democrats have been thinking - and dreaming. But I suspect they're in dreamland. Let's say Obama wins the nomination. The question that pops to mind is: why would he, or anyone, choose as his vice-presidential nominee a polarising and controversial running mate? Running mates are supposed to do three things. First, they are supposed to understand that the presidential nominee calls the shots. Their job is to travel the country for four or five months singing not their own praises but the nominee's. Can we really expect - and I say this in Clinton's defence - America's most admired woman (and she is that, in poll after poll) to play such a subordinate role? On areas of policy, will Clinton suddenly be able to adopt Obama's position - saying, for example, after denying it for more than a year, that the Iraq war was indeed a mistake? Second, running mates are supposed to bring some geographical advantage to the ticket. Kennedy chose Johnson, in spite of their mutual nuclear contempt, because LBJ would help nail down Texas and the south. I'm not sure Clinton brings Obama a single state he can't get without her. Third, running mates ideally have strengths that make up for the candidate's weaknesses. George Bush was weak on global and military experience. Dick Cheney, a former defence secretary who had overseen a successful war, was a strong choice by Bush, whatever we may think of how that has turned out. One can make a symbolic argument for Clinton on this point. He is black and male, she is white and female. But she doesn't have many substantive strengths that he lacks. Obama would be better off with someone with global and military credentials - a Democratic Cheney, without the Dr No hunger for world domination. The opposite case? Obama is a somewhat more plausible choice for Clinton than she is for him, because he has greater appeal to independents. But here, too, on my three criteria, Obama doesn't bring Clinton enough that she doesn't already have on her own. He may have become, like her, too large a figure to play second violin. He doesn't bring her a state that I can see, and he doesn't add much substantively. Finally, asking Americans to vote for a woman or a black man is one thing; but asking them to vote for both? I would like to think my country has changed that much. If I were advising them I'd push each toward a white man from a state or region where they may have the potential to pick off crucial or unexpected electoral votes. The Everly Brothers said all they had to do was dream. My guess is that Democrats will have to do a little more. * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend * Share * Clip * Contact us * larger | smaller Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your first name ____________________ Your surname ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close Short link for this page: http://gu.com/p/x38pz * StumbleUpon * reddit * Tumblr * Digg * LinkedIn * Google Bookmarks * del.icio.us * livejournal * Facebook * Twitter Contact us Close * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 3353 2000 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content World news * Hillary Clinton · * Barack Obama · * US elections 2008 · * US politics * Interactive guide * The race to Super Tuesday * Guardian book * Madam President by Suzanne Goldenberg * Useful links * Democratic National Committee * Republican National Committee * Government * US government portal * White House * Senate * House of Representatives Related * 9 Feb 2008 Hug keeps dream ticket hopes alive * 5 Mar 2008 Clinton vows to fight on after Ohio and Texas * 19 Nov 2007 Clinton and Obama split over 'slur' * 27 Jun 2008 US elections: Obama and Clinton hold first joint rally * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend * Share * Clip * Contact us * Article history Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your first name ____________________ Your surname ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close Short link for this page: http://gu.com/p/x38pz * StumbleUpon * reddit * Tumblr * Digg * LinkedIn * Google Bookmarks * del.icio.us * livejournal * Facebook * Twitter Contact us Close * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 3353 2000 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content About this article Close Michael Tomasky: Clinton-Obama dream ticket? Dream on This article appeared on p16 of the Main section section of the Guardian on Wednesday 6 February 2008. It was published on guardian.co.uk at 23.50 GMT on Wednesday 6 February 2008. It was first published at 23.50 GMT on Tuesday 5 February 2008. On World news * Most viewed * Zeitgeist * Latest Last 24 hours 1. [BBC-Persian-boss-Sadegh-S-003.jpg] 1. BBC Persian staff face Iranian intimidation 2. 2. Mormon Romney to win in Nevada and leave rest in scramble for delegates 3. 3. Iran 'trying to attack Israeli targets in retaliation for scientists' deaths' 4. 4. Costa Concordia: cruise ship rep's clothing found in captain's cabin 5. 5. Khamenei: Iran will help anyone confront Israel 6. More most viewed Last 24 hours 1. Eyewitness: Nudes float in the Dead Sea 2. Temperatures plunge in Europe â in pictures 3. Saving Spain's Socialists: ex-minister fights for control of a party in tatters 4. Fury over Homs massacre as UN security council gathers for Syria vote 5. 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