MyDD :: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick Hillary As VP, Hillary Shouldn't Make Any Demands

Ed Rendell: Don't Pick Hillary As VP, Hillary Shouldn't Make Any Demands

by Cheebs, Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:28:51 PM EST

Ed Rendell doesn't believe he should pick her. That Obama couldn't control Bill and Hillary might up stage him. He also says Obama is now the leader of the party so Hillary can't bargain with him and she must agree to what Obama wants.

From The Page:

On NY 1, the Clinton-backing governor says of her:

"Generally a lot of politicians don't like to put somebody like that on the ticket. You know rule one for the Vice President is make sure you never upstage the President, right?... Hillary Clinton in some ways couldn't help but upstage, even if she was trying not to."

Adds: "The Obama campaign would have to make strict rules... about what President Clinton could and could not do during the campaign."

Also urges Clinton not to "bargain" with Obama about exiting the race:

"You don't bargain with the Presidential nominee. Even if you're Hillary Clinton and you have 18 million votes, you don't bargain."

Tags: obama, 2008 (all tags)

Permalink :: 19 Comments :: Post a Comment

Finally Sanity ! (2.00 / 2)

by parahammer on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:29:38 PM EST

Re: Finally Sanity ! (2.00 / 4)

Rendell is now in the Obama camp. It's nice to see such unity from him.

by Cheebs on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:31:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finally Sanity ! (none / 0)

He's a professional.

by edg1 on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:39:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Finally Sanity ! (none / 0)

I saw Rendell in person a few months ago (at the taping of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me) and he promised that he'd support whomever won the nomination. He said that the loser's supporters were allowed a couple of days to grieve but then had to suck it up and support the nominee whomever she or he was.

by Gene In PA on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 04:10:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick Hillary As VP (2.00 / 2)

Kudos to Rendell.

Hooray for John McCain!

by ragekage on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:32:34 PM EST

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick Hillary As VP, Hillary (none / 0)

If Hillary really is gunning for the VP slot, and I'm not convinced yet that she is, I'm wondering how many Ed Rendell's it would take to convince her supporters that it's not wise, or desirable, to force yourself on the ticket in this way.

by the mollusk on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:35:02 PM EST

Ed Rendell makes a great deal of sense (none / 0)

He is one of my favorite Clinton supporters, he seems to have a good grasp on when its time to fight and when it is time to pack it in and root for the party.

by netgui68 on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:36:25 PM EST

I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat. (2.00 / 3)

Clinton backer Hillary Rosen:

She had an opportunity to soar and unite. She had a chance to surprise her party and the nation after the day-long denials about expecting any concession and send Obama off on the campaign trail of the general election with the best possible platform. I wrote before how she had a chance for her "Al Gore moment." And if she had done so, the whole country ALL would be talking today about how great she is and give her her due.

Instead she left her supporters empty, Obama's angry, and party leaders trashing her. She said she was stepping back to think about her options. She is waiting to figure out how she would "use" her 18 million voters.

But not my vote. I will enthusiastically support Barack Obama's campaign. Because I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat.

by hankg on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:37:15 PM EST

Re: I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat. (none / 0)

Hillary Rosen is the person responsible for sending children to jail for having music on their computers. basically.

by doberman pinche on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 10:24:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick (none / 0)

Rendell's argument seems to amount to Obama should steer clear of Hillary because she'd upstage him. Not exactly Lincolnian is it. Basically he's going to have a problem making it without her so he should make a sound political decision. I don't seem to remember anyone saying JFK shouldn't pick LBJ who was a much bigger political figure at the time because he might be upstaged. Personally if he picks her it shows strength and self confidence. If I thought he wasn't going to pick her because he was frightend of being upstaged .....

by ottovbvs on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 02:52:02 PM EST

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick (none / 0)

It's not Hillary that's doing the upstaging, it's Bill. Having an ex-president quasi on the ticket like that could be awkward.

Beat McCain!

by thezzyzx on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:08:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick (none / 0)

Thezzyyzx: You should check out what Rendell said

And btw Bill Clinton isn't on the ticket. We'll be worried about the ghost of FDR next.

by ottovbvs on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:17:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Zombie Lincoln (none / 0)

Zombie Lincoln would totally change parties and become a Democrat.

He'd be a hell of a running mate.

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:37:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick (2.00 / 1)

If she hadn't came out and said that she would accept the VP slot without ever being asked, I would agree with you. With the weight of her support behind her she practically dared him not to pick her.

So now if he were to ask her(which he never will at this point), he would just look weak and incapable of making his own decisions.

If she really wanted the position she wouldn't have made it into such a political spectacle. It demeans the VP position, which most other Democrats would be glad to have.

by Tenafly Viper on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:09:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Another thing.. (none / 0)

I do think he should offer her a very prominent cabinet position, which would be a very Lincoln thing to do.

by Tenafly Viper on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:10:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ed Rendell (none / 0)

Very odd...seems like yesterday he was touting Hillary as the obvious VP choice. I'm guessing he thinks he's in the running himself.

He doesn't impress me much - especially in his remarks declaring that some of his own constituents were/are racist and would never vote for Obama, as he did just before the PA primary.

True or not, I just don't think declaring that is helpful.

"Not only do I want an elite president, I want someone who's embarrassingly superior to me." -- Jon Stewart, 4/15/08

by JulieinVT on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:16:27 PM EST

Keep in mind (none / 0)

Rendell probably wouldn't mind being VP himself.

He might be pro-Clinton, but he's more pro-Rendell.

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:39:31 PM EST

Ed Rendell's Da Man (none / 0)

Ed Rendell is one of my favorite politicians. He has this charmingly quaint way of accidentally speaking the truth out of turn that always puts him squarely in my "I like this guy a lot" category. He is exactly right about this and all along he has been one of the most reasoned, rational Hillary supporters. Personally, I'd have no problem whatsoever with Ed Rendell being on the ticket.

Hillary, if she wanted to be VP, could/would/should have handled this very differently. She wanted the Presidency, not to be Obama's second fiddle. I think this (and I'm not trying to pile on here, honest) is just one final example of a strategic decision that was not completely thought out. Ed's right:

The Nominee is the Nominee. Like it, love it, or hate it, you get in line or get out of the way. Period.

"The only way I can lose this election is if I'm caught in bed with either a dead girl or a live boy."

by AK Democrat on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:46:20 PM EST

Re: Ed Rendell: Don't Pick Hillary As VP, Hillary (none / 0)

I've noticed throughout this process that, by comparison, Rendell has been fairly cautious in how he's campaigned against Obama, recognizing that you don't want to do permanent damage to the likely nominee. Kudos to him for placing his party loyalties above other things.

by Rhizomorph on Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 03:51:23 PM EST

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