Hillary Wants to Take Vice-Presidency By Force

Her husband Bill Clinton suggested it: “Tuesday could be the last day of your campaign.”

The party bosses stipulated it on the weekend: “After June 3rd, we have to be united.”

The US media such as AP and CNN predicted it Tuesday morning: “Hillary Clinton will concede defeat.”

They all guessed wrong. It never entered Hillary Rodham Clinton’s mind to talk of defeat or even to officially support Barack Obama. When she made an appearance at 9:30 PM local time in her home state of New York after the primaries in Montana and South Dakota, she acted like a winner.

“I want to congratulate Senator Obama and his team for achieving what they did,” she said. What she didn’t say is what they achieved-–namely the Democratic nomination for president. Instead, what she intimated was almost brutal: if you want my support, you’ll have to accept me as your running mate.

“Who is the stronger president?” she asked, thus undermining Obama with a reference to his lack of experience. Then she launched another attack: “18 million people voted for me. That’s more votes than any previous Democratic candidate in the history of the primaries.” The provocative message to Obama: I have more votes than you.

Finally, she asked the question everyone was waiting for: “What do I want? I want the 18 million voices that voted for me to be heard. Therefore I won’t make any decisions today.” And then the Tina Turner song “You’re simply the best, better than all the rest” blared from the loudspeakers.

BOOM! The American political analysts were shocked. David Gergen, advisor to both George Bush senior and Bill Clnton, said “She’s holding a dagger to Obamas heart, she wants to take the vice-presidency by force. Tonight, Obama better listen.”

Most analysts were convinced: “Obama can’t accept that.” But a short time later Obama gave a speech in Minnesota. Before he even claimed the Democratic nomination, he praised Hillary Clinton effusively saying, “She’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans.”

Why was the loser in the primaries so demanding? Why was the winner so cautious?

Hilary Clinton is probably the most powerful number two in primary election history. Polls have constantly shown: without her Obama will have difficulty in a one-on-one race with McCain. Every third Hillary voter would sooner vote for McCain than Obama.

The votes a vice-president Hillary Clinton could bring to Obama:

• The so-called swing states that vote Republican one time and Democratic another: Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan or New Hampshire. Hillary defeated Obama in all those primaries and according to the polls would also beat McCain there.

• The white working class that voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton. Obama insulted many of them by saying “Small-town Americans are frustrated and take refuge in religion or their guns.” They think he’s an elitist. Like Al Gore and John Kerry before him, Obama doesn’t speak their language, but Hillary does.

• Women. Significantly more women voted for Hillary than for Obama. They hoped they would finally see a woman president.

• Influential Jewish Democrats. They also are leaning clearly toward Hillary Clinton ever since Obama’s former pastor made anti-semitic remarks.

• Latin-American voters. They have problems with an African-American candidate. The Clintons, on the other hand, have done much to help them integrate into American society.

In reality, there’s no other Democrat who could be as helpful in electing America’s first African-American president as Hillary Clinton. And Obama realizes this. For weeks, he has been acknowledging how worthy his rival is. On Tuesday he even said, “She’ll play a decisive role in my administration.”

Problem: The role could be too decisive. With her 18 million supporters behind her, she could be a more powerful vice-president than Dick Cheney or Al Gore. Plus, Obama would also have an ex-president on board: Bill Clinton.