A floor fight over the veep spot?

Bob Beckel argues that, if Hillary Clinton really wants to be Obama's running mate, she can force her way onto the ticket in a convention roll-call vote -- or get herself picked in advance by threatening to force a roll-call vote. We're talking about a roll-call vote for the vice-presidential nominee, mind you; yes, the delegates pick the veep, too. And Hillary will have almost half of the delegates in her corner anyway, and Beckel thinks she'd be able to bring along enough of Obama's superdelegates (many of whom have residual loyalty to the Clintons) to secure the #2 spot. I doubt it will shake out this way, but it's an interesting possibility.

Comments

[Youngblai]

I think, were I Obama, that I'd make it clear if she gets the Veep spot through a floor fight I'm not running. Period. Nor am I stepping down. OH, and I'll sue the living sh*t out of the Dem party if it tries to change the rules and then hold another nomination.

Sorry, Hillary as veep is like having a pair of pet king cobras in your baby's crib--there's just no good ending to it.

[aeromusek]

I think she'd only try this if she really has no dignity left to lose. Can you imagine to what hell the Democratic party would be subjected if their Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates were campaigning while in open civil war?

[Sandy Underpants]

She has absolutely no chance of winning the nomination, but refuses to drop out and continues to spend millions of dollars to stay in the race. Clearly she has already lost all the dignity she MAY have had to begin with.

[Joe Loy]

In 1956 Democratic presidential nominee Adlai Stevenson, being a very small-d-democratic fellow :}, declined to Recommend to the Convention any Preference for his Runningmate. / On the 3rd Vice-Presidential ballot, the convention delegates nominated Senator Estes Kefauver of Kentucky over Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Also, here is the remarkable rollcall result from the 1972 Democratic convention, at which Presidential nominee George McGovern had named Missouri Senator Tom Eagleton as his Veep choice.

[CORNHUSKERS 94 95 & 97]

No way the Democratic leadership would allow this as the Republicans are ripe to go down in this race.

I would not put it past her as there is no way she will be able to run again in 4 years as she will older and even less accomplished as the Senator from New York.

[Joe Loy]

Corny 94 et seq., we infer that you really believe there Is such a thing as "the Democratic leadership." :) Do you also believe in Leprechauns? ;>

But even if there WERE still a Democratic Leadership (and more's the pity that there Ain't :), they'd have a tough time preventing Hillary from at least Trying if she Wanted to. The Veep Nomination is conferred by The Delegates, separately from The Big One, and is separately so Subject to Rollcall if Contested. It's in the the Rules. You can even look it Up already. :} There's nothing In there about the PresNominee's Choice. (Granted, if we Assume a Leadership, we can always imagine the extralegal arts of Rational Persuasion :> being applied, just as in days of Old. More's the Pity. :)

[Joe Loy]

Corny 94 et seq., we infer that you really believe there Is such a thing as "the Democratic leadership." :) Do you also believe in Leprechauns? ;>

But even if there WERE still a Democratic Leadership (and more's the pity that there Ain't :), they'd have a tough time preventing Hillary from at least Trying if she Wanted to. The Veep Nomination is conferred by The Delegates, separately from The Big One, and is separately so Subject to Rollcall if Contested. It's in the the Rules. You can even look it Up already. :} There's nothing In there about the PresNominee's Choice. (Granted, if we Assume a Leadership, we can always imagine the extralegal arts of Rational Persuasion :> being applied, just as in days of Old. More's the Pity. :)

[Youngblai]

I'm sorry, this isn't Democrat leadership--this will be a literal _floor fight_ if she tries this.