Jimmy Carter: Clinton As Running Mate Would Be "The Worst Mistake"



Now comes an extraordinarily sensitive political moment. Inter-camp negotiations between the Clinton and Obama campaigns will soon be under way in which the two robust competitors for the highest office in the land will be forced into tight quarters by circumstances to make nice and unify for the good of the party (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment). There will be forced smiles and stiff handshakes and in the end Hillary will get on board -- finally -- with the Obama campaign in the general election. But in what role?

Does Senator Hillary Clinton want to be the Vice President? Does the first woman to ever win a Presidential primary want a role in the naming of Obama's running mate? Does she want the Senate Majority Leader position? Does she want some campaign debt forgiveness? A Supreme Court position (which is, granted: unlikely, but possible)? Does she want her political allies in key cabinet positions? Does the Junior Senator from New York want a major role in health care legislation in an Obama administration?

Clearly, Senator Clinton has earned some leverage. Senator Clinton finished strong, winning South Dakota even as her campaign evaporated. There are legions of enraged older white women -- and, to be sure, Latina women -- who say, at least right now, that they would not vote for Obama if Hillary was not on the ticket. That is profoundly disturbing news considering that in 2004, 55 percent of white women voted for Bush over Senator Kerry arguably providing him with the margin of victory.

Former President Jimmy Carter is not a fan of that idea. From The Guardian:

"Barack Obama should not pick Hillary Clinton as his vice-presidential nominee, former president Jimmy Carter has told The Guardian.

"'I think it would be the worst mistake that could be made,' said Carter. 'That would just accumulate the negative aspects of both candidates.'

"Carter, who formally endorsed the Illinois senator last night, cited opinion polls showing 50% of US voters with a negative view of Clinton.

In terms that might discomfort the Obama camp, he said: 'If you take that 50% who just don't want to vote for Clinton and add it to whatever element there might be who don't think Obama is white enough or old enough or experienced enough or because he's got a middle name that sounds Arab, you could have the worst of both worlds.'"

Carter, we cannot fail to note, is somewhat politically radioactive with the pro-Israel crowd. And while Carter's advice, as a former President with daily national security briefings, is valuable, it is not readily apparent that he has much influence within the Democratic party establishment anymore.

Further, Senator Clinton's "He's one of us" endorsement of Senator Obama in front of the tribal AIPAC today -- an organization which was suspicious because it has no history with the Illinois Senator -- was a benign political gesture.