Barack's a Non-Starter--UpdateI'm amused over the
fascination many people have for Barack Obama as a potential vice presidential running mate. Most of these folks have not thought things through.
First, let's stipulate that Hillary's going to be the nominee. Oh, I know many on the left despise her; they also adored Howard Dean, and we saw how much that mattered. She's the obvious nominee because when it comes to the most important issue to the Democrats right now, electability, she's got the killer argument: Same last name as the only Democrat to win the presidency since 1976.
So you're Hillary and you're totting up all the positives and negatives with Barak Obama. What does he add to your win? Oh, sure, there will be the inevitable glowing coverage of the nomination; Barak will be an historic choice for an historic ticket.
But then comes the question. Whom does Barak attract to the Democratic ticket? Blacks, obviously, but they already vote for Democrats in such huge percentages that there's not much of a vote swing available there. Folks from Illinois, certainly, but that's also a reasonably safe Blue State.
Democrats have been losing the "Solid South" for decades now; it's hard to remember that the term originally referred to the fact that the GOP couldn't win a race against a yellow dog in Dixie. As a result, the Democrats have been careful to include at least one Southerner in every presidential ticket since 1960, with the exception of 1984, when Walter Mondale also decided to make an historic choice with Geraldine Ferraro. And we all remember how well that turned out.
Even if Hillary's not the nominee, it's hard to see a scenario where Obama helps the ticket.
Update: John McIntyre
is a lot less convinced of Hillary's inevitability.
