Geraghty: Two Bits of Data Suggesting ... Hillary?

National Review ^ | August 20, 2008 | Jim Geraghty

[PghBaldy]

LOL. She is a peach of a woman...

[Plutarch]

More evidence, jets are falling from the sky.

Team Clinton is practicing up.

[tanknetter]

Do you think Johnson accepted the VP spot because he expected to knock off Kennedy? No, he did it because he wanted to be President in 8 years.

I don't think that LBJ was involved, in any way, in the Kennedy assassination. However there is a flaw in your argument: even LBJ was aware that once JFK became President the "heir" was going to be Bobby. Under those circumstances, I'm not really sure why LBJ took the spot on the ticket. He either thought he could defeat Bobby for the nomination in '68, or there was some other motivating factor. LBJ was a very smart and slick politician ... so my guess is that it was more the latter than the former.

[truth_seeker]

“I doubt she wants to be Obama’s VP.”

I think she wants to be POTUS, above all else. If being Obama’s VP for 8 years is the only available path, I think she is willing. She would be 68 or 69 then, younger than McCain today.

To presume McCain would be gone or easily defeated in 2012 is a bigger risk, than signing on for VP now.

The GOP is at a low point, combining Iraq with McCain. She can’t assume it will stay down for 2012.

Take what you can get today, and use it to build a resume for later.

She would be smart to accept VP now. Obama would be smart to offer it, because he is weak alone.

From the GOP standpoint, it would be nice to beat an Obama/Clinton ticket!! But tough. (Nixon came back in 1968, after 1960 defeat—so neither would be counted out forever).

[Defiant]

LBJ didn't think of Bobby as a political rival in 1960. He didn't become one until after JFK's death. Bobby was not an elected official in 1960, and was appointed to be Attorney General. His path would have been to stay in that slot, get elected somewhere in 68, and run for President in 72 or 76, had JFK not been shot.

LBJ took the job reluctantly, with the idea of being President in 68. He forced himself to accept serving under a guy who he thought was too young and inexperienced because after losing the nomination, it was his best way to the White House, and that meant more to him than anything, even his pride.

[Defiant]

All valid points. I’ve looked at all the pros and cons from Hillary’s point of view, and I think she will believe that her best option if she cannot be at the top of the ticket will be to derail Obama and come back next time. Maybe she thinks otherwise, and will accept 8 years as Obama’s understudy. We’ll see.

[MissMagnolia]

Yup ..... the pit(s) part!