Hillary Clinton Refuses to Rule Out 2004 Vice Presidential Bid in ABC News Interview

ABC News This Week with George S. and George Will ^ | December 7, 2003 | George Will

[hapc]

George Will and the host of 'This Week' were interviewing the Former First Lady and she was asked straight up whether she would accept, if asked the Vice Presidential bid of her party at the Convention.

She did not answer the question directly and said that would support the party's nominee.

To the viewer it looked like a statement of intentions.

[Lazamataz]

Those feral chipmunk cheeks are getting nastier.

And who parted her hair .... Moses?

[hapc]

I think she thinks that Clark has enough 'stature' and Arkansas ties for her to play second fiddle.

Remember, this is all about setting the Queen up as frontrunner next time..and ensuring a Democratic defeat.(so she can run basically unopposed next time)

Heck, Hillary could even sabotage Howard Deans campiagn if she chose as VP!

[mewzilla]

She promised the people of NYS she'd serve out her term...

Liar, liar, pantsuit on fire.

[LandofLincoln]

That is why she is pushing Arkansas' Military candidate. If he win the nomination, he can pick her as the running mate. The campaign would give her great national exposure, and give her time on the national debate scene. Which would help her the 2008 debates.

[PeteFromMontana]

Posted by Senormechanico to PeteFromMontana
On News/Activism 12/07/2003 12:06:05 PM MST #9 of 14

[snipped from the posted interview]" MR. RUSSERT: If one of the leading candidates falters or the convention becomes deadlocked, would you, under any circumstances, accept the Democratic nomination in 2004?
SEN. CLINTON: You know, Tim, I’ve ruled it out. I’m going to continue to rule it out. You know, my view is that we’ve got people who have been competing, they have put their ideas out in front of the American people, the process will finally, finally start next month in the primaries and the caucuses, and someone’s going to emerge from that and I’m going to work for whoever that nominee is.
MR. RUSSERT: So no matter what happens, absolutely, categorically, no?
SEN. CLINTON: You know, I am going to do everything I can to support this nominee, whoever that person might be.
MR. RUSSERT: But just say no. You would...
SEN. CLINTON: I have said no and no and I’m trying to think of different ways of saying no and no. And I hope that in ’08, I’ll be supporting a Democratic president for re-election.
MR. RUSSERT: But you would never accept the nomination in 2004?
SEN. CLINTON: You know, I have said over and over again—and, you know, my view on all of this is that...
MR. RUSSERT: You’ve said over and over what?
SEN. CLINTON: That I’m not running, I’m not in this race.
MR. RUSSERT: But you wouldn’t accept the nomination?
SEN. CLINTON: The nomination—it’s not going to be offered to me, that’s one thing.
MR. RUSSERT: But if it is...
SEN. CLINTON: Oh, Tim, you know, I—it’s not going to happen. It’s not going to happen.
MR. RUSSERT: Well, but if it did happen?
SEN. CLINTON: You know, I have—I am...
MR. RUSSERT: I think the door is opening a bit, Senator.
SEN. CLINTON: Oh, no, it’s not. Now, don’t you try to make something out of nothing.
MR. RUSSERT: Oh, no, no, no.
SEN. CLINTON: No, no. I’ve said, no. I’ve said no, no, no, no. And I...
MR. RUSSERT: OK, so the door is sealed.
SEN. CLINTON: The door is shut. The door is shut.
MR. RUSSERT: “I will never accept the nomination in 2004”?
SEN. CLINTON: I am not accepting the nomination. I am going to work for whoever the nominee is. MR. RUSSERT: How about 2008? This is what you told the German magazine Bunte, and I have the German translation that—Georgetown University did this for us. “Why aren’t you running for president?” “I am a senator from New York. That is my job and I am happy with it.” Next question. “But there are many people who are disappointed because you are not running this time.” Answer: “I know. (She smiles coyly.) Well, maybe next time...”
SEN. CLINTON: You know, that’s not exactly the way we translated it in my office. You know, I have been asked this so many times...
MR. RUSSERT: Oh, something was lost in the German?
SEN. CLINTON: Yeah, may have been lost a little in translation. But I have said many, many times that, you know, right now I am focused on my job. I mean, you know, as a native New Yorker, we have a lot that we have to deal with from, you know, Long Island to Buffalo. And I’m trying to do the best job I can for my constituents."[snipped]

[hapc]

Hillary's lust for power is so great, I think she might even be Howard Dean's Vice Presidential candidate.

[LauraJean]

I'm glad you noticied the pink outfit. I remarked right after the 96 inaguarel that her pink outfit was picked to make her look less threatening. My poli-sci pro thought I was making too much importance on clothing. I still stand by it though. Everything she is doing leads me to believe she wants the nomination. After the 10 drarves implode she will be ready to take on the job to unite the party.
btw it should be interesting to see if many delegates run as non-commited to any candidate.

[LauraJean]

''native new yorker''
When did Park Ridge, Illinois become part of New York?

[caltrop]

I agree. She's a negative for Dean and I think he knows it.

[traditional1]

Unless the Nominee has a death wish, who would want her as their next-in-line?

...

[Kay Soze]

Just think how powerful she is.

She can wait till next July 27th to make a decision and if she wants she'd still get the nomination.

[cavtrooper21]

Nah, she'll VP for Dean, and then Dean will (if, God forbid, elected) meet an untimly and grisly telivised end at the hands of gun wielding "right-wing militias".
This will propel Hillary into the office she covets and give her and Bill the excuse to call in the UN to help "maintain order" etc, etc, etc.......

Soulution: Relect President Bush.

[NonValueAdded]

Oh please, of course she is running. Think she'll take the chance to lose to Rudy on '06? She needs an exit from New York and running for President (and NOT veep) in '04 is it, even if she loses. She can't wait until '06 and then not stand for re-election.

A try at the brass ring is worth it and she can come up with a million and one excuses why she lost all the while carping at GWB in his lame-duck term setting up for '08.

Losing doesn't disqualify AlGore for running again, AlGore himself disqualifies him from another stab. No one would think the less of AlGore if he tried again. In retrospect, the RATs would have been better off if the strategerie is to wait until '08. So why should her pinkness wait?

By the way, who is in the wings for the '08 run to replace GWB? Dick Cheney? Hardly. McLame? He will be the beast's running mate! Powell? Condi? Who knows? There ain't a whole lot of grooming going on! The RATs are ready; who is thinking ahead for us?

[Timesink]

New York loves Her. They voted for Her. They deserve Her.

Every poll I've seen has her either in a statistical tie or BEHIND Bush in a hypothetical 2004 presidential matchup. IN NEW YORK.

[KantianBurke]

Actually her running as VP is quite intelligent escpsially if Dean wins the nomination. First Dean has threatened to destroy the Macaluiffe machine at the DNC but he needs their help for any sort of chance of defeating Bush. Putting Hiterly on the No. 2 spot will be an acceptable peace offering for everyone invovled. And even if Dean wins or loses she's assured of being at the top spot once he's gone.

[dr_who_2]

Suits me. There's no chance in hades that CBLB (I'll let you guess what that stands for) will get the presidency, and her Hamlet impersonation can only further hurt the Democrat party's prospects next year and inch them closer to "irrelevant" status. Nevertheless, Bush ought to have better competition than this.

[texasbluebell]

"Aw, gee, Tim, I'm not running for anything. Who me? Ya know, I just don't know where that comes from."

[Dilbert56]

This picture was taken during a commercial: Caption: "Can you believe I said that with a straight face?"

[hoagy62]

My goodness, that's an astute observation! I could see it happening.....

...which would cause an army of hacked-off real AMERICANS to rise up and fight...and we'd win.

[GreenHornet]

Actually her running as VP is quite intelligent escpsially if Dean wins the nomination. First Dean has threatened to destroy the Macaluiffe machine at the DNC but he needs their help for any sort of chance of defeating Bush. Putting Hiterly on the No. 2 spot will be an acceptable peace offering for everyone invovled. And even if Dean wins or loses she's assured of being at the top spot once he's gone.

A very astute analysis. Hillary can "reluctantly" accept the V.P. spot. If the Dean/Hillary ticket wins, a scandal could very conveniently surface early in his administration, forcing him to step aside, elevating Hillary to the Presidency. If the Dean/Hillary ticket loses, the top of the ticket will get the blame. Hillary will tell anyone who will listen that the outcome would have been different if she had been the nominee. The Democratic Party will then close ranks around her in preparation for 2008.