Swap Biden for Clinton?

Politics & Elections
#1

Don’t know about y’all but I’ve been seeing so much of this kind of speculation lately. Most recently here…

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/today-day_650058.html

I’m curious about a couple things…

How likely do people think this actually is? Me personally, I don’t see it happening. Probably because I figure the powers that be think Obama still needs a folksy older white male standing next to him.

And if it did happen, would it help in the long run? That I’m not sure about. I think the resulting excitement among democrats would be huge and would account for a big bounce short term but then there’s all the Clinton baggage etc…

Thoughts?

Side note: Not that this is anything new but this speculation has also made clear how much current elections are like the roll out of a new blockbuster movie. Releasing scraps of info. Teasing. Encouraging speculation. The hoped for result being intense blasts of excitement and anticipation leading up to opening/election day. Inevitable I guess but it sure doesn’t say much for our focus on actual issues. Ha. “focus on actual issues.” I made myself laugh there a bit.

#2

It’s not going to happen short of a major medical problem with Joe. The only reason you are seeing speculation is because you’re reading sites like Weekly Standard. They like to sow discontent and generally project the impression that the Obama campaign is in trouble.

#3

Just a disinformation attempt by the ®s. Messing with the opposition. Not worth any serious attention.

#4

Right. Yeah, I’m not actually a reader. The link was posted by a right wing friend on FB. The other speculation is largely from left wing friends who are praying for it.

#5

I’d be interested. She’s a tough cookie and would likely reinvent the job from “assassination-proofing the president” to “viable replacement should the president be incapacitated, and next president in-training.”

You gotta love Biden, but I cringe anytime he gets near a microphone. I don’t think I’d worry about Hillary gaffes. But I also don’t think it’s likely.

#6

It’s no longer politically possible for the President to dump his VP. It reflects badly on his judgment in picking the guy in the first place.

#7

Any time the Dems get campaign-strategy advice from Sarah Palin, I think it’s pretty safe to dismiss it. She’s an idiot, and she hates everyone to her left and to her right. Also below her and above her. Plus she’s an idiot–have I emphasized that point sufficently? Idiot, blatherer, hater, slacker, attention-whore, yesterday’s news, right-wing nutbag, and oh yeah, mostly idiot. Why would the Dems take advice from her?

#8

The same speculation was rampant in '04 (or was it '06) about Bush dumping Cheney. It didn’t happen then, and Bush had a lot more reasons to dump Cheney than Obama has to dump Biden now.

The more interesting question is what if Biden had some medical problem and had to step down. Would HRC accept the position if offered?

#9

There is someone to Sarah Palin’s right? This does not bode well for our [del]country[/del] species.

#10

I think she would accept. It’s a very good platform for 2016. I’m less convinced it would be offered - although her performance at State (extremely good, IMO) increases those odds.

She is still one of the most favorably viewed politicians, AFAIK.

#11

Cheney’s not to everybody’s right?

#12

He supports SSM, so at least on one issue he is to the left of Sarah Palin.

#13

The only possible way I could see it happening would be if Joe Biden himself decided to retire and live like a king in Patagonia, or some such thing, and was very very very very insistent on doing just that.

Which I just don’t see happening.

#14

People throw this idea out there once a week, and I assume most of them are just trying to fill column inches or meet a deadline. There is no chance it is going to happen unless Biden keels over and dies.

#15

If Obama were going to do this, he would have done it a lot earlier. Like, as in, four years ago, when he named his running mate to begin with. But he made the decision at that time that Clinton was not the right running mate for him, and whatever the reasons were for that decision, they still apply.

#16

Hillary Clinton says she’s going to retire at the end of the term. I believe her.

Even if she doesn’t, I would treat anybody who makes this claim the way I treated people who said that Herman Cain or Michele Bachmann were going to get the Republican nomination. There was 0% chance of that happening. Not a small chance, a 0% chance. Same with Clinton replacing Biden.

#17

I’m with Exapno on this. I think Hillary is done. You might say she is “forked”. :slight_smile:

Also, she was born in 1947. She’ll be almost 70 years old in 2016.

#18

Looks like that article made banner headline on Drudge.

#19

But she’s only 32 years old - she needs to be at least 35.

Oh, Hillary Clinton!

#20

Doesn’t the Constitution say the job would go to Boehner? Now that would be ugly.

Also, you have to give Palin credit. She’s made a full time career out of carrying a grudge against Obama and anyone near him (his wife, the VP… she probably even secretly hates Bo because he doesn’t have to die his hair to keep it from going grey)