‘Dream Ticket’ Supporters Grow, as Clinton’s Chances at Nomination Fade
Hillary Clinton talks to supporters at her victory rally Tuesday night in Charleston, W. Va. (AP Photo)
Hillary Clinton’s chances at being the Democratic Party nominee are fading — even with her landslide win in West Virginia Tuesday — but Democratic voters and Clinton supporters are keeping the concept of a “dream ticket” pairing with Barack Obama very much alive.
Though some strategists say Obama is looking elsewhere for his No. 2 as he gears his campaign toward a general election battle against John McCain, Clinton’s performance in West Virginia at least proves she’s retained throngs of die-hard backers despite an upward battle for delegates and a growing campaign finance deficit.
She won by 41 points, carrying seniors and women, and working-class and white voters by wide margins.
“They’re getting two different groups of people and we believe bringing them (together) will keep those groups in our column in November,” said Adam Parkhomenko, founder of VoteBoth.com, a new group advocating for a joint ticket.
A new Quinnipiac University national poll out Wednesday found a large majority of Democrats like the idea of an Obama-Clinton ticket. By 60-to-33 percent, Democrats said Obama should pick Clinton as his running mate.
Parkhomenko, a former Clinton campaign staffer, initially launched his group in April pushing a Clinton-Obama ticket. But a week ago, before the Indiana and North Carolina primary, he re-launched as “VoteBoth.”
Acknowledging “the math gets harder” for Clinton, he told FOXNews.com the joint ticket idea just makes for good general election strategy no matter who’s on top, and would prevent sour grapes on the Democratic side from either supporting McCain or staying home in November.
It also could be Clinton’s last resort, as the campaign faces down a $20 million debt. Even with Clinton’s West Virginia win, she’s still 165 delegates down from Obama.
VoteBoth has an online petition advocating for a joint ticket, and plans to send it to both candidates’ campaigns, the Democratic National Committee and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has previously rejected the “dream ticket” idea.
Parkhomenko, who is trying to convince superdelegates to endorse the plan, guessed he had close to 10,000 signatures, and said the group plans to run an ad soon in one of the upcoming primary states — either Oregon, South Dakota or Kentucky.
The Quinnipiac poll also found Obama was doing slightly better against McCain in head-to-head matchups. Obama had 47 percent to McCain’s 40 percent, while Clinton had 46 percent to McCain’s 41 percent. But each had a strong suit. Obama was winning independent voters 48-to-37 percent, while the independents were split 41-to-41 percent in a Clinton-McCain match.
Obama did better among black voters, but women broke for Clinton by slightly more in the matchups.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, one of Clinton’s biggest supporters, told a cable news network on Wednesday that Obama should consider tag-teaming with Clinton against the Republicans in November.
“If Senator Obama becomes our nominee and he wants Clinton — someone to carry the Clinton banner — there’s no question in my mind they should ask Hillary Clinton to be that candidate. I don’t know whether she would accept. I don’t know whether he would do it,” he said. “But don’t settle for someone — a Clinton supporter. You’ve got the real thing, someone who has energized voters.”
No matter how many party voices sign on to the concept, several strategists argue the talk is a dead end. Either Obama wouldn’t want Clinton, or Clinton’s not interested, or she would simply do too much harm to the ticket.
Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe dismissed the idea Tuesday that there have been negotiations between the Clinton and Obama camps to get Clinton the vice presidential nomination should she bow out.
Columnist Robert Novak reported a few days ago that Obama’s wife Michelle would probably prevent such a pairing from happening anyway, given her “hostility” toward Clinton.
“The race right now is really not about whether Hillary Clinton catches up, the race is about, ‘Is she gonna be on the ticket with Barack Obama?’” Democratic strategist Peter Mirijanian told FOX News. “That’s the question the Obama campaign is grappling with, and that’s the question the Clinton campaign is grappling with …. I think she is making the case that ‘you need me on the ticket, I will bring the swing states to the ticket.’
“But all indications are, I think the Obama campaign is looking elsewhere.”
FOXNews.com’s Judson Berger contributed to this report.
Hi,
I am a Hillary supporter who wants her to continue in the race, and I totally support the dream ticket. If Obama wins the Democratic nomination, I will NEVER vote for him unless Hillary is also on the ticket. Instead, I would vote for John McCain.
Who are they talking to for these polls? I have never been polled and for the record I do not want to see this particular ticket. Let the man choose his own running mate, someone who will complement him in the best possible way and who shares similar goals. HRC is packing Bill and that probably won’t be a good thing.
I say: Dream Ticket or NO OBAMA!!
I think it would be a bad move for Obama to choose Hillary because the the Republicans would use Hillary’s words against him.
I cannot picture Hillary Clinton accepting a 2nd Tier position subordinate to Obama. It goes against everything she is, and would really be out of character for her.
Calling their ticket a Dream Team is an insult to Michael Jorden and the Olympic Basketball Dream Team. They were the one and only Dream Team
I am a republican cross over to vote for Obama, and i WILL NOT EVER vote for Obama with that woman on the ticket. And whichever Democratic strategist is floating that suggestion out to get a grip. And that is exactly why they are floating that idea, if Hillary cannot be Prez, she doesn’t want any other Democrat either. She is evil.
Why else do you all suppose people like moi are voting for Obama. We want Change. I don’t want her in the west wing again for even a tea in the blue room. OUT’A Heah Hill, no more limos for you and Bill and Chill. You have been a queen once. Go home to Illinois.
We need to let Barak Obama choose his VP - he alone should be able to choose. It will be another indication of the type of leader he will be - one that really wants to bring about change or one that says what voters want to hear but in the end does nothing.
No thanks, don’t want her, don’t need her. She’s burned her bridges, and isn’t a good fit with Obama’s vision.
Me and my wife really wanted to have Hillary be the democratic nominee because we feel that she is better prepared to be president than obama, if she is not the nominee nor the choice to be vice president, then we will vote for John McCain only because he has more experience than obama.