Dream Ticket or Democratic Nightmare?

By Anastacia Mott Austin

Since Hillary’s fight for the nomination is now all but over, people have to have something to talk about.

It’s only natural, then, for the water cooler chatter to turn to a possible Obama-Clinton ticket this fall.

Disappointed Clinton supporters concede that adding Clinton to Obama’s ticket might persuade them to vote for the two of them, according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll.

Political pundit Dan Clifton had this to say about Obama’s veep choice: "Obama may need to pick someone fast to rebuild the support he is losing from Clinton supporters." What better pick, say some, than Hillary Clinton? "We also believe Obama needs to pick someone who is strong on defense, more conservative than him, and has lots of experience," said Clifton.

The possibility of a joint ticket was raised by George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America" this week. "I think it's very much a possibility and there are others around Sen. Clinton, other top Democrats who think the strongest ticket would be a joint ticket," said Stephanopoulos, chief Washington correspondent for ABC.

Some supporters of both Obama and Clinton agree that an Obama-Clinton ticket is the perfect way to heal the Democratic party and look forward to healing the nation as well. "An Obama-Clinton ticket is for the best. Look around. Gas prices, war in Iraq, food prices. I believe in my heart that these two can sit down and come up with a plan to get our country back. Everyone needs to put away their egos and think about what is best right now," wrote one blogger supportive of the idea.

Others are not in agreement at all, and unfortunately most of their responses to the idea are not reprintable. However, suffice to say, there are some, supporters of both Clinton and Obama whose initial reaction to the idea is a collective "Ew!"

But DNC officials say it can’t be ruled out. "It's something this party is going to have to think very seriously about in the next few weeks," said Harold Ford, chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, to reporters at MSNBC.

Two people who have not signed off on the idea? Obama and Clinton. "I think its premature for us to be thinking in that way, because I don't know who the nominee is going to be yet," said a diplomatic Obama when asked about the idea this week. "It's not yet resolved."

One might imagine he may not relish the idea of four years in the White House with the very commanding Hillary Clinton looking over his shoulder, not to mention her husband.

Clinton herself has previously said she would not consider the vice presidency. "She said that's not something she would accept," said Clinton’s communications director Howard Wolfson. However, other reports have Wolfson saying simply that any idea of a "dream" Obama-Clinton ticket is simply "premature."