Opinion: What Barack Obama wants in a vice president
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Hillary Clinton did her part today to try to tamp down the frenetic push by some to team her up with Barack Obama on the Democratic presidential ticket. And in an interview with CNN, the presumptive nominee did the same, urging all sides to ‘settle down.’
In an exchange with reporter Candy Crowley, we were most struck by Obama’s characterization of the role his running mate would play if they take office next January. His vice president, he said, would ‘be my final counselor when I’m making decisions in the White House.’
That person, obviously, would have to be someone with whom he enjoys a very, very high comfort level. Who knows, maybe he and Clinton could achieve that. But for that to happen, it assuredly would take more than the one conversation Obama has been mentioning he’ll be having with her. And if rapport fails to develop between the two, ruling Clinton out quickly -- and getting rid of the shadow she would cast over Obama’s deliberative process -- would seem to serve his best interests.
Here’s the back-and-forth on CNN, when Crowley asked Obama about the pressure to tap Clinton for the vice presidential slot:
OBAMA: You know, I am a big believer in making decisions well, not making them fast and not responding to pressure. And I think Senator Clinton right now is in the same position I am, which is we just completed 54 contests. We want to catch our breath. We need to take stock of where we are. I’m sure she has to do the same thing. And so she and I will have a conversation. We won’t be doing it through surrogates or the press. To talk about how we move forward, join forces to make sure we are successful in November. And so there’s going to be a lot of time for that. CROWLEY: Isn’t it the best way to win over her supporters, though? To put her on the ticket. You’ve seen, I’m sure, the polling showing that you’re dropping in women, sort of down-scale voters and those kind of voters. Isn’t it the best way to win them over is to put them on that ticket? OBAMA: As I said, I think everybody just needs to settle down. We’ve just completed this arduous process. It’s only been two days. And you know, I think it’s both -- not just in my interests and Senator Clinton’s interests, but in the Democratic Party’s interests and the country’s interest to make sure that I make this decision well. And I will be deliberate and systematic about it because this will be my final counselor when I am making decisions in the White House, and I want to make sure I get it right.
-- Don Frederick