March 10, 2008
Rendell: Clinton Would Give Veep Slot "Serious Consideration"
SCRANTON, PA -- After joining Hillary Clinton at a big rally here to kick off the race in the Keystone State, Gov. Ed Rendell spoke with reporters about the "Dream Ticket", superdelegates, Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the New York senator's prospects here.
The governor said he'd back the so-called "Dream Ticket," which would join Clinton and Barack Obama.
"It would be great, and either way, I'd be for it either way," he said, adding, when pressed, "Whether it was Sen. Obama for the president and Sen. Clinton for vice president or vice versa. I think it would be great."
Rendell said he'd be happier if Clinton were at the top of the ticket, but that it be a good way to bring the party together.
"You know, I think John McCain's gonna pick Mitt Romney, and they've said worse things about each other than..." he said, before a reporter interrupted to challenge the statement about McCain's likely choice.
"The economy's the issue," Rendell said. "He's the strongest Republican on the economy. You can't pick someone who doesn't have, in my judgment, doesn't have something to offer on the economy, because Sen. McCain, by his own admission, you know, has a problem."
The governor went on to cite, as proof that a joint Democratic ticket was possible, noting the fierce nomination battle between John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
When asked if Clinton would accept veep, Rendell said he couldn't speak for her, "But I think she'd give it some serious consideration, as I hope Sen. Obama would if the roles were reversed."
Rendell said he considered Obama qualified to be vice president and noted that Kennedy and Johnson had "zero" foreign policy experience when they were elected.
As for Clinton's prospects in the state, Rendell said she needed to do well here in the northeastern corner, where she has roots. He predicted, however, that she will do better in Philadelphia and its suburbs than she has in other urban areas, in part because she and her husband visited often during the eight years he was president. He also suggested that she'll do better with blacks than she has in other states and said the so-called "T" region was more favorable to Obama than to Clinton.
"In the middle, the "T" the famous "T" in Pennsylvania, if you are a Democrat, you're either Latino, African-American or, in most cases, fairly liberal," he said. "So the middle is fairly good Obama country. Even in the polls that have Sen. Clinton ahead by double digits, she's holding her own or maybe slightly ahead in the middle, because again, there are a lot of progressive Democrats, you know, in those counties."
Rendell, along with fellow Clinton supporter NJ Gov. Jon Corzine, have said they would raise half the money needed to hold new primaries in Florida and Michigan. He said he would prefer the primaries be carried out as "full elections" where people show up at the polls, rather than as a mail-in vote. He said one should be held June 14 and the other on June 28th.
Rendell shares Clinton's view about caucuses not being democratic and made an argument for superdelegates playing the role of choosing who they think would be the best nominee.
"The bottom line is our convention should be a question of nominating someone who has the best chance to win in the fall," Rendell told reporters after a rally here Monday evening. "The bottom line is the rules are the rules and the Obama people always say the rules are the rules. Well the rules are the same for superdelegates. They knew the rules going in. Just like I don't like caucuses, but those are the rules. We have to live with the caucus results."
He also said it was too soon to say if Gov. Spitzer should resign.
"I don't think we know enough facts, and we don't know enough level of what his participation is," Rendell said. "That hasn't come out, and I don't think we should rush to judgment. I think he's entitled to have all the facts come out, and I think right now that it's a great tragedy for his family, his wife, who I know is a lovely person, his kids, and I think everybody should take a deep breath and see what the facts are."
(NBC/NJ's ATHENA JONES)
Posted at 09:37 PM
Comments
Clinton-Obama = 1 vote
Obama-Clinton = 0 vote
Obama-?? = 1 vote for McClain
Cult leader Obama should cease being driven by raw ambition and be patriotic in stepping down for the good of the Democratic Party and the future of America. Hillary Clinton is the visionary leader of the moment that America needs.
crat3 | 03.10.08 10:32 PM
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Right, crat3. The candidate in 1st place, with more states, more delegates, and more funds raised, should step down. GENIUS.
geez | 03.10.08 10:36 PM
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Is it just me, or does anyone else think she would never have made it this far without Bill?
I think we would know who Barack Obama and John Edwards are, but if Bill Clinton had never married Hillary Rodham, no one would have ever heard of her.
It's sad more than anything.
crat3: You should really think about checking the polling. ALL of the national polls show Obama beating McCain and McCain beating Clinton. They are solid polls with strong N Sizes (700 to 1000) and normal margins of error (around 3%). Check realclearpolitics.com for the data.
Best of luck to you though. Glad you're a Democrat!
illclinton | 03.10.08 10:38 PM
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The problem for Ed Rendell and others who hitched their wagons to Hillary is now that she's losing, they too see their future roles in the Democratic party being diminished, while those who've chosen Obama will see their roles enhanced. They can only save face if Clinton emerges as a "hero" in some form or fashion. Problem is, I'm not sure Hillary knows how to be a heroic loser.
Ed | 03.10.08 10:43 PM
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Cankles a "visionary"???? What the heck are you smokin'??????? She is a sponge who hasn't done an honest day's work in her life.
Steady | 03.10.08 10:46 PM
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...didn't know this about Romney. If it is true and he gets the VP nod, that would be a deciding factor for me. He is a fine man whose Father did alot of good things for the state of Michigan as governor (I'm from MI, now in the south). Yes, I would vote for that ticket over Obama simply because of his ethics and ability to direct a path to economic recovery.
was4obama | 03.10.08 10:57 PM
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"it be a good way to bring the party together."
Having The Billaries drop out of the race would be a better way. It's not her birthright. Nor has she "earned" it. We need Bill in the White House like we need a hole in the head. Just turn the page already. Why do so many wish to nominate a candidate that is already disliked by half the country? That's an inconvenient truth, it doesn't play well in the fall.
Hillarity | 03.10.08 11:20 PM
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Obama has already put this to bed, and made the Clinton's look like arrogant fools in the process.
Putting her on the ticket would only make it harder for him to win, and if he did pull it off she would make his life a living hell.
Republicans don't like McCain, letting Obama win is seen as "sending a message", but having her on the ticket would guarantee a unified conservative base suddenly willing to forgive all of McCain's past sins.
Let's just drop the "dream team" nonsense...it simply isn't going to happen.
Michael | 03.10.08 11:32 PM
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Hillary Clinton is a walking power point drill, devoid of caring about anything or anyone beyond her own power, procurement of more power, and throw in plenty of foreign cash. One powerful, expensive power point. Tiresome when you never change the tape.
Rita | 03.11.08 01:20 AM
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Rendell: why are caucus delegates "undemocratic", and yet one superdelegate gives the vote of one person (superdelegate) the same weight as thousands of voters in a primary?
Sir, advocating that superdelegates should vote their concious is not democratic. You and Clinton are peas in a pod; your principles flex to shape of your own self interest.
JTS | 03.11.08 01:48 AM
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Right geez,
*The candidate in 1st place? - Not so sure, Lemme rephrase that: VERY SLIGHT advantage
*with more SMALL non-counting states.. Who cares this states?, they don't vote democrat... Wow, I'm impressed!
*SLIGHTLY more delegates AND LESS Superdelegates
*and more funds raised - I give tis one
Yes, should step down, he is a wimp loser. Just like his endorsers Kerry and Kennedy.
Get over it. Hillary is going to take the nomination. Like it or not.
Manul | 03.11.08 01:50 AM
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Manul, you're just like Hillary, you think that if you say it's so, it must be so. Guess what, in a democracy (do you know what that is?), the majority wins. The people have spoken, and they've chosen. Winning fairly aside, Obama beats Clinton in national polls and he beats McCain by a larger margin than Hillary. You're watching the last days of an era of politics.
The whole "big state" outlook falls right in line with your school of politics (Bush's too). Divide the country into pieces by seeding discord, prejudice, and hatred, and then cling to office with the piece that is slightly larger. The hope for Obama supporters is that we'll start to view our country as one place, one people.
Why do you think Rush L. wants Repubs to vote for Hillary? Because he knows McCain can beat Hillary but not Obama.
Let's see, Hillary agreed in writing that MI and FL would not count, until she was losing, and then she says they should count. First she was for the Iraq war, now she's against it. She says Obama would be a great V.P. but isn't qualified to be president!! Can't you tell when someone is not being honest with you?
JTS | 03.11.08 02:36 AM
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I raise a question, is it possible that neither one won't be nominated, instead the party nominates , say, Al Gore? does it violate any election rule since superdelegates can legally vote Gore.
JohnW | 03.11.08 05:05 AM
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OBAMA IS A MULSIM CULT LEADER!!! WHERE DO YOU THINK HE GETS ALL HIS $MONEY???
DON'T DRINK HIS KOOL-AID. AMERICA WAKE-UP.
THE MUSLIMS WILL DO ANYTHING TO ELECT BARRACK
HUSSIEN OBAMA!!!
gbell | 03.11.08 08:11 AM
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Bad idea. Obama as Hillary's VP would give him the added experiences he sorely lacks to be POTUS. Hillary as Obama's VP means she'd be doing a lot of heavy lifting that she wouldn't get credit for.
corinne | 03.11.08 08:17 AM
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Obama -- Edwards
has a nice ring to it.
Between the two of them they could take SC and FL
Now tell me he can do that with Hillary.
MrMe | 03.12.08 01:46 AM
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obama and Edwards.....Edwards won't run with him.....sorry!!!!Hillary will take fl and mic and the race will be over......she will take bill Richardson as vp....remember AL gore lost to electoral college in fl? he had popular vote...but still lost
jhyde14 | 03.12.08 08:09 PM
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obama and Edwards.....Edwards won't run with him.....sorry!!!!Hillary will take fl and mic and the race will be over......she will take bill Richardson as vp....remember AL gore lost to electoral college in fl? he had popular vote...but still lost
jhyde14 | 03.12.08 08:10 PM
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Unless it's a joke, haven't we heard enough of this Obama's a Muslim stuff? Those who say it prove that they come to conclusions first and then only believe "evidence" that supports their judgments. Passing the message on is a revelation of inability to be fair and objective -- or of laziness that doesn't care enough to back up the accusation with credible evidence.
openeyes | 03.13.08 01:47 PM
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Obama poses a threat to the US because of the 20 year indoctrination he received, along with his bed partner, from his bigot pastor/MENTOR! Wake up...No way this man is speaking truth in all of his eloquent HOPE/change speeches! What does his heart hold? Only his pastor knows for sure...hmmm. And of course, Oprah who placed him on the silver platter$$$ big give... Dream team? Hillary/it'll be her choice! If Obama continues to delude the American lack of vision...my guess is a Obama/Winfrey dream team. Match made in HALLA Heaven.
Maril | 03.28.08 07:55 PM
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