Obama names a Kennedy to help pick veep
WASHINGTON (AP) - June 4, 2008 Obama himself moved to link himself more closely with a young
Democratic hero of a half-century ago, picking President Kennedy's
daughter Caroline to help him choose a vice president.
While Clinton still wasn't conceding, even after Tuesday's
primaries and a flood of "superdelegate" endorsements of Obama
sealed the nomination, there were signs aplenty that she was
closing shop. She began bidding campaign staff members farewell,
and a number were told not to come to work after Friday. Last
paychecks were expected to go out June 15.
The primary rivals ran into each other backstage at a hall where
both spoke to Jewish leaders, but Obama said there was no mention
of how or when she would formally end her long campaign to become
the nation's first female president.
Obama showed no impatience, merely smiling and accepting
congratulations from colleagues in both parties as he returned to
the Capitol for a Senate vote. But other Democrats urged her to get
out of the way.
"I don't see why we don't get on with it and endorse" Obama,
said Rep. Charles Rangel, a congressman from Clinton's home state
of New York. He said it was only a matter of time before he and
other Clinton supporters formally back Obama.
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, an Obama supporter, said
Clinton's non-concession "creates a pretty delicate situation
here, an awkward situation."
"I don't want to push her. Nobody is going to push her,"
Durbin said on MSNBC. "But the sooner she does, I think the more
likely we're going to be organized and ready to win in November."
Obama began focusing on who will join his ticket in the fall.
His campaign said the vetting of potential running mates was to be
managed by a three-person team of Caroline Kennedy, former Deputy
Attorney General Eric Holder and longtime Washington insider Jim
Johnson.
Clinton has told lawmakers privately that she would be
interested in the vice presidential nomination. Obama was
noncommittal after his chat with her behind the scenes at the
American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
"We're going to be having a conversation in coming weeks, and
I'm very confident how unified the Democratic Party's going to be
to win in November," he told reporters after a vote in the Senate
where he received congratulations from all sides.
Meanwhile, the dam holding back endorsements broke from coast to
coast on the day after the primary elections concluded.
Seven senators who had stayed out of the matter said they were
giving Obama their commitment and would work toward uniting
Democrats for the election, now exactly five months away.
In Nashville, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen was joined by two
other superdelegates to say they hoped to bring the party behind
Obama even though Clinton won their state. Former Vice President
Walter Mondale, who had been a Clinton supporter, announced he was
backing Obama.
It hardly mattered in terms of delegate math - after months of
struggle, Obama had more than enough to prevail at the party
convention in Denver in August. But Obama's new backers were also
sending a message to Clinton that her race was over.
Bob Johnson, the founder of the Black Entertainment Network, was
lobbying members of the Congressional Black Caucus to urge Obama to
place Clinton on the ticket. He said he was doing so with her
blessing.
Rangel, a founding member of the caucus, expressed doubts that
Johnson's approach would work. "I don't really think that the way
to get Obama to (choose) Clinton would be to put pressure on him. I
think it would have the opposite effect," Rangel said.
The Obama camp's disclosure about the three-person veep vetting
team was an effort to change the subject from the long, divisive
primary campaign toward the general election.
Kennedy's name came as a surprise, although she endorsed Obama
at a critical time last winter, saying he could be an inspirational
leader like her father. She also campaigned for Obama.
Holder is a former federal prosecutor and District of Columbia
Superior Court judge who held the No. 2 job at the Justice
Department under President Clinton.
Johnson is widely known among Democrats for having helped
previous candidates, including John Kerry four years ago, sift
through vice presidential possibilities. He is a former chief
executive officer for the mortgage lender Fannie Mae.
Clinton visited her campaign headquarters in suburban Arlington,
Va., where she thanked staff members for their work. Aides said she
was also phoning superdelegates and supporters, and planned to host
an 89th birthday celebration at her Washington home for her mother,
Dorothy Rodham.
Several high-dollar fundraisers who had spoken to the former
first lady described her as upbeat and realistic about what she
faced.
"She's very resolved, but open minded about whatever's coming.
She's going forward with an optimistic eye," said Susie Tompkins
Buell, a San Francisco-based fundraiser who flew from New York to
Washington early Wednesday morning.
Some lawmakers showed deference to Clinton, an indication of the
political and fundraising power that she and her husband still
wield.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, an uncommitted
superdelegate, said he will be supporting Obama but declined to
make a formal endorsement. "I expect Mrs. Clinton to say some
things over the next couple of days and I think that's appropriate
for her to do. And I expect her to say that, at which time I may
make a more formal" announcement, Hoyer said.
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Associated Press writers Devlin Barrett, Laurie Kellman, Beth
Fouhy and Jesse Holland contributed to this report.