Clinton open to VP nod
June 3, 2008 On a conference call with other New York lawmakers, Clinton, a
New York senator, said she was willing to become Obama's vice
presidential nominee if it would help Democrats win the White
House, according to a participant who spoke on condition of
anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak for
Clinton.
Clinton's remarks came in response to a question from Democratic
Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who said she believed the best way for Obama
to win key voting blocs, including Hispanics, would be for him to
choose Clinton as his running mate.
"I am open to it," Clinton replied, if it would help the
party's prospects in November.
Clinton also told colleagues the delegate math was not there for
her to overtake Obama, but that she wanted to take time to
determine how to leave the race in a way that would best help
Democrats.
"I deserve some time to get this right," she said, even as the
other lawmakers forcefully argued for her to press Obama to choose
her as his running mate.
Aides to the Illinois senator said he and Clinton had not spoken
about the prospects of her joining the ticket.
Obama effectively sewed up the 2,118 delegates needed to win the
nomination Tuesday, based on a tally of pledged delegates,
superdelegates who have declared their preference, and another 18
superdelegates who have confirmed their intentions to The
Associated Press. It also included five delegates Obama was
guaranteed as long as he gained 15 percent of the vote in South
Dakota and Montana later in the day.
Word of Clinton's vice presidential musings came as she prepared
to deliver a televised address to supporters on the final night of
the epic primary season. She was working out final details of the
speech at her Chappaqua, N.Y., home with her husband, former
President Bill Clinton, their daughter Chelsea, and close aides.
Earlier, on NBC's "Today Show," Clinton campaign chairman
Terry McAuliffe said that once Obama gets the majority of
convention delegates, "I think Hillary Clinton will congratulate
him and call him the nominee."
Clinton will pledge to continue to speak out on issues like
health care. But for all intents and purposes, two senior officials
said, her campaign is over.
Most campaign staff will be let go and will be paid through June
15, said the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because
they were not authorized to divulge her plans.
The advisers said Clinton has made a strategic decision to not
formally end her campaign, giving her leverage to negotiate with
Obama on various matters including a possible vice presidential
nomination for her. She also wants to press him on issues he should
focus on in the fall, such as health care.
Universal health care, Clinton's signature issue as first lady
in the 1990s, was a point of dispute between Obama and the New York
senator during their epic nomination fight.
In a formal statement, the campaign made clear the limits of how
far she would go in Tuesday night's speech. "Senator Clinton will
not concede the nomination," the statement said.
Clinton field hands who worked in key battlegrounds said they
were told to stand down, without pay, and await instructions.
Speaking not for attribution because they didn't want to jeopardize
their jobs searches, many said they were peddling resumes,
returning to their hometowns or seeking out former employers.
Clinton officials have said they would not contest the seating
of Michigan delegates at the convention in Denver this August. The
campaign was angry this past weekend when a Democratic National
Committee panel awarded Obama delegates it thought Clinton
deserved.