HOT TOPICS: 6.4.08 - Barack Obama Declares Victory, Hillary Clinton Ponders Her Options

Yes I think she will eventually bow out gracefully and No I would not support an Obama/Clinton ticket and I'm not sure who Mccain will decide on.

I don't know if I would support an Obama/Clinton ticket. I think it depends on how well they can really run together, or if it's 'forced'. It does have a lot of potential under the right circumstances.

Yes, I think she'll bow out gracefully.

Haven't a clue about McCain.

At 53, I am thrilled to have watched this moment in history. I was young, but I do remember when this was not possible. I would have felt the same had it been Hillary Clinton that won. I'm not sure yet how I feel about Obama, or I should say...I am less sure than I was a few months ago. I like him a little less, I liked Hillary a little more than I did in the beginning. I think they might get the votes as a combined ticket...but, I question their ability to work together. I also question Bill Clinton's possible involvement.

The VP slot is basically a position with no power unless something happens to the President, so I can't see her taking the job myself. As a Senator, or possible 2012 contender, she can do more, and probably have the Senator job for as long as she likes. I don't think we wants to be second fiddle to anybody?
I wouldn't be surprised either, to see her go for the head DNC job either; as I don't see how it will be possible for Dean to keep that job. No doubt we will see changes proposed in the nomination process to avoid the drama in the future, and I'm sure Hillary would like to be involved in that. Another side story in all this...
But what the heck do I know?

"we"...??? s/b "she" up there in the fiddle reference... doh. Could possibly do without one of those "either's" as well... sheesh, I give... ;-)

I dont see Obama offering Hillary the VP slot and if he did I dont see her accepting.

I think in an effort to unify and start healing her party Hillary should step down. She is a strong woman and put up a good fight.

Actually he will offer it to her, and she will turn it down. That will be agreed upon in advance behind closed door. It's for show. And all of you will believe it. Politicians do this all the time.

With Hillary on the ticket, Obama will look henpecked as Walter Mondale did in 1984. Also she does not really want the VP slot. She played that role to Bill though it was not official.

I don't know what McCain will do. A mature woman will make him look henpecked, even though it would win approival from feminists and Hillary supporters. I think McCain must use his best judgment and I believe he will be the winner in November.

I already posed (in a February article here on gather) that the highest vote getter should be President and the next be VP. At the time I assumed it would be a Hillary/Obama ticket. But, now, if I were Obama, I think I wouldn't want Hillary's presidency to hinge on my last breath.

What do you think about this historic moment in American politics?
I wish the nomination went to a more deserving, honest canidate.

Would you support an Obama/Clinton ticket?
I doubt the Obama machine will allow Clinton on the ticket as VP. I doubt I would vote for the ticket if they even did because I do not trust Obama at all.

Do you think Clinton will bow out gracefully?
I hope she goes Independent.

Who do you think McCain will tap to join him on the GOP ticket?
Not a clue.

Barack Obama:

"John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks, but maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy – cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota – he'd understand the kind of change that people are looking for.



Maybe if he went to Iowa and met the student who works the night shift after a full day of class and still can't pay the medical bills for a sister who's ill, he'd understand that she can't afford four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and wealthy. She needs us to pass health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it and brings down premiums for every family who needs it. That's the change we need.



Maybe if he went to Pennsylvania and met the man who lost his job but can't even afford the gas to drive around and look for a new one, he'd understand that we can't afford four more years of our addiction to oil from dictators. That man needs us to pass an energy policy that works with automakers to raise fuel standards, and makes corporations pay for their pollution, and oil companies invest their record profits in a clean energy future – an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. That's the change we need.



And maybe if he spent some time in the schools of South Carolina or St. Paul or where he spoke tonight in New Orleans, he'd understand that we can't afford to leave the money behind for No Child Left Behind; that we owe it to our children to invest in early childhood education; to recruit an army of new teachers and give them better pay and more support; to finally decide that in this global economy, the chance to get a college education should not be a privilege for the wealthy few, but the birthright of every American. That's the change we need in America. That's why I'm running for President. "


I think John McCain is going to have his hands full with this one. McCain's speech, by comparison, was dull, and he didn't look serious, he had this smirky smile on his face. The background was drab green with a crowd of 200 compared to Obama's 20,000. Yep, McCain has hands full for sure.

No matter what has happened, my opinion hasn't changed. None of the candidates inspire any confidence in me. I think the American voting public has been shortchanged big time. Don't anybody tell me that this is the best that we deserve.

Unfortunately Maurice, ther are no perfect humans, and especially not politicians.

Someone above said that "she will eventually bow out gracefully", the time for that has long past. Obama has the delegates, she doesn't. She doesn't have to bow out, the voters did that for her already and the only one that doesn't seem to realize that is her.

The democratic party and really, the rest of the voters seem so widely divided that I think that it might be a mistake for her to take the VP slot.

I guess I am over the fact that we have an African American candidate. I don't mean it like I didn't want it or have a problem with it, I am just tired of hearing about it. Great, so he is an African American. What does that mean when it comes down to how he will function as a President? I feel that it really doesn't mean anything, so let's move on.

I have no idea who the party and McCain will choose for the VP slot. As long as it isn't someone that is too controversial, I don't think that it matters as much as who Obama is on the ticket with at this point.

I am a Republican and i am happy that Obama got the nomination. I think that it gives us a better chance. If it is Hillary on the ticket.....I hesitate to say it, but people seem to feel so strongly, one way or the other about her, that I think that it would be even better for McCain.

I wouldnt vote for either one of them myself... Both seem to have to much baggage with them... As far as Hillary being the VP... I think if she took this position, she would be eating humble pie.... If I were her I wouldnt even consider it...

veddy interestenk!

I grew up in Southwestern Louisiana and I know that even despite the Civil Rights Bill, many blacks in my area, could not vote until 1965. Can you believe that? Anyway, yes, I am thrilled - this is a Victory for the United States - I do think that we will once again become a proud country with an intelligent President. I really and honestly don't think that Senator Obama would consider Hillary. I just don't see it. They are not of the same character and I think that the Senator knows this. He will do quite well choosing someone else - he does not need her at all and I hope she realizes that and bows out gracefully. I feel she is making a complete fool of herself by hanging on. None of her dirty tricks have worked - in fact, in some cases, they've worked against her. I don't see her having a political future.
I think that once debates about the issues begin, then it will be clear that Obama's intellect clearly over-rides McCains. Intelligence and the ability to understand the issues is far more important than experience. Also, regarding any of that past garbage with the church or any of that other internet dredge-up on Obama - no one who admires him cares about that. Those people who continually talk about those things wouldn't vote for him anyway and I'm sure when it gets down to it - it's because of his color. Salud.

Obama's nomination is the best thing that has happened in this country, politically-speaking, since November of 2000. If he picks Hillary to be his V.P. I hope the first thing he does is hand her a helmet and flak jacket and tell her to take an extended tour of Iraq. (Maybe she'll come back with a clearer idea of what it really means to dodge sniper's bullets.)

Realistically speaking, taking her as his running mate would be the worst thing he could think of. After her, and her husband's, vile antics over the past many months it would do nothing but make him look like a wimp.

Hillary's staunch supporters have every right and reason to be deeply disappointed but Obama doesn't need to try to placate them. They should be smart enough to understand that Obama isn't the enemy, and be willing to suck it up and work toward the common goal of regime change.

As far as McCain's running mate is concerned, who cares? How about keeping Dick Cheney on? No term limits on Vice Presidents as far as I know. And he knows where all the bodies are buried--since he buried most of them.

I am afraid the pair wouldn't work out well.

An Obama/Hillary ticket is not even a remote possibility. It wouldn't work, and it would invalidate much of Obama's message to take her on (and by extension, Bill). No President needs to yoke himself to the past, especially this particular past.

I think many people will be surprised by the margin of victory in November.

Hillary sent an email to her supporters this morning asking us to support Obama.

I am working oin a Gather article - three reasons why Obama can't win.

An Obama Clinton ticket won't work because he will look like he is with his mother and like he needs her advice. At best he will look henpecked.

I agree with you Mary Ann. I look forward to your article.

I'd like to know how people feel about this incident with Obama. Does it indicate a "take charge" attitude or how do most perceive it: Obama confronts Lieberman