Prediction: Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton

Obama ignores her at his own peril. He makes her his running mate at his own peril. I wouldn’t want that family anywhere near power, but Obama might not have a choice at this point. Evidently I’m not alone in my political instinctitude. Ace says:

Obama, however, has had a bruising couple of weeks, and if his cultists’ caterwauling is any indication, he’s almost panicking. He’s not doing especially well with swing voters, and he doesn’t have a lock on Democrats’ votes, either.

It’s Hail Mary time.

So…

Vice President Hilary Rodham Clinton.

John Hawkins is also going down this road and says:

So, how do you get back on track? With making some sharp moves that can turn this election back in your favor.

1) Select Hillary Clinton as your Vice-President to reunite the Democratic Party and start publicly inviting seasoned old hands to join your administration IF you win (a little humbleness would be helpful here given your reputation for arrogance). Publicly getting men like Colin Powell, Sam Nunn, Joe Biden, John Kerry to say that they would join your cabinet would certainly make the public breathe a little easier about putting you in the White House.

From a pure meanness perspective, I love the notion of Joe Biden being Obama’s veep. It’s a superb choice. The only man who is a bigger bloviating snob than Obama is Joe Biden. Just being in Biden’s presence will make Obama look humble in comparison–well, less arrogant anyway.

Another thing about Obama’s veep pick. I suspect there is no way to pacify the Democrats with his choice. No matter who he picks, he’ll peeve someone. But with the polls finally coming into the honest range (who ever believed the 12 point leads in polls that Obama supposedly enjoyed over McCain? please), Obama is going to have to do something.

That something will be Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Note: The Dems at Kos seem to be living in an alternate political universe where Obama is a superstar and going to run away with the election:

Bottom line is that, like in other polls, the GOP base has consolidated while the Dem base, while more enthusiastic, has not. Obama has room to move up, but it’ll take work to get there. And then there are the conventions, which, based on these numbers, come at the right time for Obama. How much upward room there is for McCain remains unclear, based on what is a poor showing amongst indies (Obama favored by 11) and the stated 9 in 10 GOP voters picking McCain. In all the polls, base support is a major difference between the candidates, though I haven’t seen the cross-tabs or the exact figures (or the party ID numbers, for that matter.) But if indies favor Obama by that much, he’s in decent shape.

Obama isn’t in decent shape. He’s in trouble. He has been from the beginning, but the Democrats have wanted Obama to be the savior. It has blinded them from the truth. He has always been a fragile candidate. I think Ed Morrissey has a more accurate analysis:

Democrats have to wonder what it will take to elect Obama. The more money they raise, the worse he seems to perform. The more he’s seen, the more ammunition he provides for Republicans. After winning the nomination, Obama should have shored up support and extended his lead from the post-Hillary bounce. Instead, he’s flailing in the water, and looks in over his head.

Barack Obama is right where the Clintons figured he’d be and Hillary is just waiting for the call. She’ll save Obama. Maybe. Or she could be the noose around his neck. It is possible she could be both salvation and suicide. Salvation for now. Suicide for later. But politics has had stranger bedfellows than this.

Posted in Political Animals
Tags: Election 08 • Hillary • Obama