Barack Obama For Vice President

A long (long) time ago, I wrote a post that lifted this little experiment in personal blogging to a whole new level - a fairly straightforward explanation of support for Hillary Clinton that I figured would cheer some friends and maybe change a mind or two. As it turns out, I managed to be part of an overall move in the blogosphere towards more full throated support for Mrs. Clinton, and a whole new notion of linked blogging among similarly minded thinkers.

In that vein, I've spent the last few days wrapping my mind around how to think about the endgame in this primary race.  And tossing it around while lying in bed, I thought the following piece needed to be written.  First, because no one has said it, simply, and I think it needs at the very least to be said; particularly so no one can say it wasn't. Second, I think it needs to be said because  I think someone needs to figure out how to end this gracefully, if, as it now appears, Hillary Clinton's general upswing since March 5th becomes an inexorable march towards success in August as the party's nominee, as weakening support for Barack Obama erodes to a point where claims of "overwhelming math" no longer seem overwhelming.

There are a lot of people who call the idea of a Clinton/Obama ticket a dream, and I think that's a mistake. At least on the Clinton side, this has never been a campaign built on dreams or fantasies; it is about realities.  And the reality is this: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama together do not, naturally, make an obvious choice for a unity ticket. But to bring the party together, we need most to respect all the people who've argued, passionately, for the people they support.  And I will be the first to admit that those who support Barack Obama have a number of valid points, and a compelling narrative about change that this nation needs to see and feel.

At the same time, I think Obama has shown that it is not yet his moment, though he has weathered a lot as a candidate and remained an inspiration, particularly to minorities and those, like me, of mixed race. And I believe, seriously, and realistically, the way to best reflect that is to nominate Barack Obama for Vice President. As with my endorsement of Clinton, I have thought out a number of reasons for this - reasons that are about being for Obama, not for a dream, or for a bald political calculation. I think Barack Obama is the right person. And here's why:

• Democrats need to think long term. Part of the reason Clinton/Obama is not a dream ticket is that, ideally, a Vice President should "shore up" some "weakness" in the other; strictly speaking, neither of the two current contenders for the nomination actually do that: they share challenges on foreign policy, and "historic firsts" that suggest a "safe pick" of - probably - a white man in either case. But that type of calculation - baldly political - misses the dynamic of this year's race. Together Obama and Clinton solve big problems: Obama on the ticket, in ether role, makes clear the Democratic Party commitment to people of color; and while Clinton provides solid, experienced and practical proposals for democratic constituencies, - as well as the obvious commitment to a feminist majority - Obama supplies the innately hopeful rhetoric that animates her practicalities and makes them soar. Moreover, this arrangement sets up 16 years of long term Democratic success at the Presidential level, allowing the party to develop a strong followup bench, and concentrate on making gains at the congressional level, so our ideas can really succeed at every level.
• Obama is a rookie candidate whose best campaign lays before him. No one should dismiss the brilliant strategic moves Obama made to get this far so strongly: his organizational and fundraising skills, combined with a strong speaking style, have elevated him to a position of leadership at an impressively early stage in his career.  But the rough patches and occasional missteps have only underlined Obama's status as a first time campaigner, from tactical failures that left Michigan's primary results a shambles by skipping the ballot; to the recent struggles to contain fallout over Jeremiah Wright. We could - and admittedly still might - wind up testing the idea of letting a rookie compete all the way on his first try... but the point is, we don't have to.  A Vice Presidential race will allow Obama to play to his strengths (and become a seasoned debater, and more at ease with press scrutiny), while letting issues like Wright and the "bitter" comments die quietly, never to return. And an older, seasoned and experienced Obama will likely have no peer in campaigning when it becomes his turn to run again. And because of his youth and rookie status, he is prime material for Vice President, where Hillary Clinton would seem overmatched in the same role.
• How else do you solve the problem of Bill Clinton? Obama supporters fret most about the person who would be Vice President while Bill Clinton plays a role in Hillary Clinton's presidency. And, as I said when I wrote in support of her, one open question is how Hillary Clinton addresses the question of a role for Bill. But in almost every substantive way, Barack Obama is the biggest, best answer there is:  his rising star qualities, coupled with the need to groom him as a successor, virtually insist on a beefy Vice Presidential role, one that will go a long way to assuaging free floating anxiety about Bill Clitnon, and allow Mrs. Clinton to give Bill an "international goodwill" type portfolio that shores up our relations with the world while not overshadowing a policy and process role for Obama. And again, reversing the order merely ratchets up the problem - when there' more experience in the combined VP couple than in the President, only bad things can happen.
• No need for a "shotgun marriage." On issue after issue, as has been clear since before anyone voted, Clinton and Obama share almost identical policy goals on a range of subjects fro education, to poverty, to foreign policy. Those of us who have made mountains out of a host of smallish disagreements should be honest that in almost every case, there's natural common ground, well to the left of John McCain on all of this. Obama, additionally, makes it possible for Clinton to maintain tough talk on issues like China and Iran while signaling that she's no trigger happy warmonger (which, in any case, she isn't).

Admittedly this isn't perfect - this arrangement faces a serious challenge from Republicans on the central issues of Iraq, Afghanistan and The overall War on Terrorism, areas where John McCain will mount a serious, and predictable challenge.  But at the same time, the pairing neutralizes much of the argument: with their combined experiences on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, and the blending of their foreign policy and military advisors, together they make Republican "soft on defense" arguments look absurd; given that McCain needs to find someone to shore up his own weaknesses on domestic economic issues, no Republican could claim such unity of vision, such seriousness in their expertise, and such breadth of detail.

Finally, we should do it, and push this, because all of us need a graceful way to re-integrate two sets of strong supporters who need a graceful way to back down, ratchet down, and set sights on a common goal. Expressing, from now until June, full throated support for Barack Obama in the Vice Presidential role makes it clear that we are not, as Clinton supporters, people who totally oppose the idea of Barack Obama, ever, as President; to the contrary, I want Barack Obama in the most senior leadership role possible for this party, and I know others do as well.  But Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience and skill and vision to President right now, and she has the energy and passion and commitment to go all out to win it.  As she racks up victories in the coming weeks, it will become impossible to deny the way she's solidifying a base of support that can make it to the White House.  The best way to "close the deal" is to close ranks as a party, and to make history while we do it. And the best man to make all of that a reality is Barack Obama. For Vice President.

Comments

[Redstar]

I think this is a well-reasoned, well-argued, convincing post. But I'm an easy audience. I'm curious to hear from Obama supporters on this one.

[Nick]

This is really the only way this problem can be solved, but Obama seems defiant, playing the "waiting my turn" card from MLK's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." I'm not saying he won't, but there will have to be an amazing burying of the hatchet from both sides.

Btw, if you haven't seen it, your Health Care diary on MyDD got a rescue in the main column.

[jinbaltimore]

What's the argument for bypassing "the math?"

[Zac]

I'm an Obama supporter, but not one of the crazy ones who don't open their mind to other possibilities. Your argument is very well taken, and I know that this situation is definitely possible in November, but there's no reason why Obama should give up now. I, for one, am voting for Obama very heavily based on his honesty and openness to the American people. While he may be a "rookie" at least he's a guy who will keep us in the loop about him and his policies.
There are things about Hillary that worry me, not the least of which is this huge lawsuit against her husband that she's involved in (and that is being covered up until AFTER the November election). I would rather have a rookie president that's honest than an experience president that's dishonest.

[MA]

I think your position is a sound one. I, too, would like to hear from Obama's supporters. However,I'm sorry to say, if any of the other postings I have been reading are any indication, they will disagree very loudly.

[dark1p]

I think the thing to do would be to find another black male who is not so recently tarnished as Obama. His troubles will fade over time, but for this election, he's a negative. It wouldn't hurt him to spend the next four to eight years putting together a record in the Senate that convincingly shows he can do the things he has promised during this campaign. That experience and record will serve him much better than being Vice President in his still unseasoned state.

[Redstar]

dark1p - black people are not interchangeable.

[greg]

If this were a close election with Clinton, as opposed to Obama, with the slight lead, I think this would make more sense. Unless the current controversies really do lead to a game-changer like Clinton winning NC (or other clear proof that Obama would crater in the fall), I can't imagine why Obama would settle for VP.

I'd also quibble with some of your arguments; the Clinton campaign is clearly the one with the bigger error record, starting with assuming inevitability and not preparing for a competitive primary, continuing with untactful statements on race (most of which, admittedly, weren't racist), Bosnia of course, and so on.

The reason Obama is getting more heat right now is not that he's has more weaknesses, it's that he's the frontrunner. The fact is if Clinton were leading, we'd be hearing all kinds of crap about out of touch she is (the media does this to all Democrats), and don't think for a second that the Republicans won't use every Clinton scandal ad nasueum, however unfairly, if she becomes the nominee.

In any case I think this is a thoughtful and genuine argument, however I think Obama has no incentive to give up a modest but real lead, and that Obama's recent controversies have obscured Clinton's very real general election vulnerabilities.

[jinbaltimore]

Greg fleshes out (Thanks, Greg!) what I meant by "the math."