WI: Obama/Clinton 2008?

[Chapman]

The 2008 Democratic Primary was, by and large, a bitter fight between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the nomination. Ultimately, Obama won out, and eventually became President. IOTL, Clinton was obviously considered a serious contender for the VP slot, yet was apparently never even vetted by the Obama camp for the position.

But what if for one reason or another, Obama had decided to choose Hillary Clinton, rather than Joe Biden, as his Vice President? Would this ticket have been successful in 2008? What about 2012? And if they had won in at least 2008, what, if anything, would change about the administration with Clinton in the #2 spot?

 

[20thCenturyBoy]

I think, Biden would become Secretary of State. He would not be as controversial and probably wouldn't be accused of something like Benghazi. Obama still wins both times. Hillary runs in 2016 and wins from being second in a popular administration becoming the first woman president and first woman vice president. Although more Republicans become hateful and do more to obstruct due to Clinton.

 

[Colonel Zoidberg]

I wonder if McCain picks Palin in that case. He wanted a woman IOTL to lure moderate women (with evangelicals being a nice bonus because it was Palin) but knowing he doesn't have a prayer at the female vote, McCain may have a different strategy.

 

[Sevarics]

When i posited this question, people told me Hillary would never have accepted being VPOTUS and Obama wouldn’t have offered it to her. They didn’t really get along at the start so it’s hard to imagine Hillary wanting to have 0 influence and power.

 

[Heliogabalus]

I wonder if McCain picks Palin in that case. He wanted a woman IOTL to lure moderate women (with evangelicals being a nice bonus because it was Palin) but knowing he doesn't have a prayer at the female vote, McCain may have a different strategy.

It wasn't really about winning the female vote, but about losing it by a smaller margin. Overall, I say this would increase his incentive to pick either a woman or a minority - it would look bad if the Republicans had two old white guys going up against Obama/Clinton.

 

[Sevarics]

It wasn't really about winning the female vote, but about losing it by a smaller margin. Overall, I say this would increase his incentive to pick either a woman or a minority - it would look bad if the Republicans had two old white guys going up against Obama/Clinton.

Of course he could always go with Paul Ryan to appeal to younger voters

 

[dw93]

I don't see this happening, nor do I think Hillary being VP under Obama increases her chances at the Presidency.

I think, Biden would become Secretary of State. He would not be as controversial and probably wouldn't be accused of something like Benghazi. Obama still wins both times. Hillary runs in 2016 and wins from being second in a popular administration becoming the first woman president and first woman vice president. Although more Republicans become hateful and do more to obstruct due to Clinton.

Obama's approval ratings were still in the 40s in early 2016 and even when they went up, they were still pretty neutral, and I doubt Hillary makes him any more or less popular than he was. Plus, popularity of the sitting two term President doesn't always help the person running to succeed them. Just ask Al Gore and Richard Nixon, as Bill Clinton and Dwight Eisenhower were both more popular in 2000 and 1960 respectively than Obama was in 2016, heck they were both more popular than Reagan was in 1988.

 

[Kaze]

It might be a re-run of the Victoria Woodhall candidacy where she tapped Fredrick Douglas as her VP in the election of 1872. Unlike the Woodhall/Douglas ticket - it is likely that a Obama/Clinton ticket might have a better snow-ball's chance in hell of success.

 

[James G]

It might be a re-run of the Victoria Woodhall candidacy where she tapped Fredrick Douglas as her VP in the election of 1872. Unlike the Woodhall/Douglas ticket - it is likely that a Obama/Clinton ticket might have a better snow-ball's chance in hell of success.

I'd never heard of Victoria Woodhull until today. Amazing historical fact!

 

[UCB79]

When i posited this question, people told me Hillary would never have accepted being VPOTUS and Obama wouldn’t have offered it to her. They didn’t really get along at the start so it’s hard to imagine Hillary wanting to have 0 influence and power.

But while I tend to agree with you on this
point Sevarics I nonetheless can see Hillary
accepting on the grounds being Vice Prez
means you're the sitting President's heir
apparent.

 

[jonnguy2016]

I don't see this happening, nor do I think Hillary being VP under Obama increases her chances at the Presidency.



Obama's approval ratings were still in the 40s in early 2016 and even when they went up, they were still pretty neutral, and I doubt Hillary makes him any more or less popular than he was. Plus, popularity of the sitting two term President doesn't always help the person running to succeed them. Just ask Al Gore and Richard Nixon, as Bill Clinton and Dwight Eisenhower were both more popular in 2000 and 1960 respectively than Obama was in 2016, heck they were both more popular than Reagan was in 1988.

If Hillary isn't SoS the Clinton Foundation, emails, and Benghazi are never problems.

 

[GunsCarsGuitars]

With Hillary, there would be other issues...

 

[Tales Weaver]

But Hillary too ambitious to Accept this..The Vice versa will be plausible..

 

[pattersonautobody]

The 2008 Democratic Primary was, by and large, a bitter fight between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the nomination. Ultimately, Obama won out, and eventually became President. IOTL, Clinton was obviously considered a serious contender for the VP slot, yet was apparently never even vetted by the Obama camp for the position.

But what if for one reason or another, Obama had decided to choose Hillary Clinton, rather than Joe Biden, as his Vice President? Would this ticket have been successful in 2008? What about 2012? And if they had won in at least 2008, what, if anything, would change about the administration with Clinton in the #2 spot?

Ironically, CLinton would be Prez in 2016. I think that Michelle Obama would have even won. 2016 was not a referendum on Obama. It was a referendum on a Clinton who was so corrupt, she had to disappear for 4 years. If she just rides out the many scandals Obama did (Benghazi, IRS auditing conservative groups, gun running to Mexico, failed war in Syria, etc) then the public would have simply seen these things as a reflection of Teflonbama.

 

[Oppo]

I think, Biden would become Secretary of State. He would not be as controversial and probably wouldn't be accused of something like Benghazi. Obama still wins both times. Hillary runs in 2016 and wins from being second in a popular administration becoming the first woman president and first woman vice president. Although more Republicans become hateful and do more to obstruct due to Clinton.

Biden actually said that he was offered his choice of State or the Vice Presidency on Oprah.