Just back from Japan — thanks to Sameer Lalwani and Scott Paul for keeping the wheels rolling while I was in air. I’m in New York today doing some meetings that will touch on the Annapolis Summit efforts to achieve a new framework for Israel-Palestine negotiations and also discussing how to tilt US-Cuba engagement in a new direction.
Many are asking via email what I know about Michael Bloomberg and the chances of him running. Despite the extraordinary abilities of his spokesman Kevin Sheekey to excite the press and flirt with the notion that Bloomberg “might” run, all of my sources — all of them — who are close to Bloomberg tell me that he’s shut down the Bloomberg/Hagel option and the Bloomberg/Anybody option.
Now for an open thread and a question.
I’ve already stated that on the Republican side, I think Dems can rejoice if John McCain really has offered Florida Governor Charlie Crist the VP slot. But I think to get turnout up and to generate sizzle on the Republican side, McCain has one option (scary as it is to some) and that is Mike Huckabee as VP. Others think he’ll take McCain — again that would be a huge gift to the Democratic ticket.
But on the Dem side, I have written that I believe the structural depth of the Obama campaign and Clinton campaign is so solid and deep on both sides in the party that they need each other. If Obama comes out of Texas and Ohio with a growing lead in delegates, he should head the ticket and Hillary Clinton should agree to be his running mate (if he has the magnanimity and smarts to ask) — and likewise if Hillary stages some kind of breakaway reversal of trends and trounces Obama in Ohio and Texas — and show that the big state wins are all on her side, and the superdelegates play to that form as well, Obama should be her running mate.
Clearly, I’m familiar with all of the commentary on why neither side will accept the other. I’m not sure that is true, but it would be silly to ignore the antipathy of both camps for the other.
But I’m interested in how all of you see the VP choices on both the Republican ticket with John McCain — and then VP possibilities for either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.
Stay civil — smart — share your thoughts.
— Steve Clemons
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