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March 10, 2008
Chris Rock has an answer for Hillary’s VP offer to Obama
Posted: 05:46 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNN)- I just landed in New York on a flight from Chicago, and who did I run into before boarding? Malaak Rock, the wife of Chris Rock.

She was returning from an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and considering that she and her husband are big supporters of Sen. Barack Obama, politics was the topic of the day (as it is for everyone I seem to meet in airports these days. The shoe shine guys are really into the election!).

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So when I landed and saw the chatter about Obama responding to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s suggestions of him being VP, I thought of one of Chris Rock’s funniest routines.

In one of his Emmy Award-winning stand-up DVDs, Rock blasted the talk of Colin Powell joining Bob Dole’s ticket in 1996.  For Rock, he thought it was absurd that folks would want Powell to be the number two to a man he could beat!

Last I checked, Obama is leading Clinton among states won and pledged delegates, but her campaign continues to toss out such nonsense.  As CNN’s Jack Cafferty said on his blog post, what “chutzpah.”

I wonder who Clinton will offer the VP post to next? Al Gore? Jimmy Carter?

Let’s play a game. If there were an opportunity for Clinton to choose a running mate   from previous Democrats who were President, who would she pick?  And no, they don’t have to be alive.

We might as well have some funny with this silly notion of a Clinton-Obama (and as I wrote previously, an Obama-Clinton) ticket.
 
- Roland S. Martin, CNN Contributor

www.rolandsmartin.com

16 Comments
Filed under: Barack Obama •  Hillary Clinton •  Raw Politics •  Roland S. Martin
16 Comments
Cindy   March 10th, 2008 6:09 pm ET

Roland,
I think Hillary is a nut if she thinks Obama would even consider being second to her. Has she lost her mind or something!? Why would he even entertain that thought when he is beating her. She has to be desperate to even offer that up!

I think she should pick Gore to run as her V.P. since neither of them can seem to seal the deal when it comes to getting the job. Maybe with the both of them they could have half a chance!

Cynthia, Covington, Ga.

Brad   March 10th, 2008 6:28 pm ET

Roland,
Hillary made the offer because she knows what so many of us know but won’t articulate — race matters and is still a factor in this race. Imagine a democratic primary race where Hillary is second to a white male (pick one, any one) and she has the “chutzpah” to offer the leader the VP spot. It would never happen because it is absurd on so many levels, but the fact that she felt comfortable enough to make such an offer clearly indicates that she knows that in the end the American public is not going to vote for Obama when it truly counts.
Brad, Charlotte, NC

Susan   March 10th, 2008 10:02 pm ET

Perhaps she should simply have her husband join her on this dual ticket that they both so brazenly are putting out there for the public to think about.
I view this not only as a very demeaning, insulting act towards Senator Obama, one of her peers, but also in a subtle way, another opportunity to put the race issue out there again to soak into the minds of voters.
There was a time I admired this woman, but with all the insulting, mud slinging that started not long ago, I now find her an embarrassment to women of our mutual generation.

Doug   March 10th, 2008 10:08 pm ET

Roland:

A typical clinton’s arrogrance. The Presidency is her birthright

Lucie   March 10th, 2008 11:11 pm ET

I don’t think I heard her say she would ask Obama to be a running mate, but sort of dodged by saying it was a possibility - anything’s possible, right? I think it would be a wrong move. The Vice President should be someone who can, and has demonstrated the ability to, be of real service to the country. Someone with real, documented experience. We’re not electing the prom king here. I know I am too concerned with the economy and other major issues to consider voting for Obama. I think he would be easily defeated by McCain in the general election since the states Obama won will vote repulican like they always do, and the purple states Hillary wins want someone with experience and will vote for McCain. I know that I, a lifelong democrat, would vote for McCain rather than put a novice in charge during the most important election of my lifetime (I was born while Roosevelt was president).

Wendy in New Jersey   March 10th, 2008 11:11 pm ET

Ha, I like the idea of Bill Clinton as her VP, but if we can choose dead or alive. Why not have JFK as her VP if she’s choosing people who would beat her in an actual election?

Marah   March 10th, 2008 11:28 pm ET

Hi Roland,

I find it interesting how NO ONE is talking about how arrogant
Senator Obama is in his response on this issue. I find that he
is so negative that it is a shame.

I believe when Hillary made those comments about the so called “dream ticket” she was just stating a FACT. It is a FACT that many voters were/are torn between the two of them. I thought it was very complimentary towards Barak Obama to say that this may be a reality on day. IT was A VERY POSITIVE statement and one that reminds the voters that the Democrates will be unified soon.
I can’t believe how negative they make her sound. Once again, the media I believe is being unfair towards the Clinton campaign. And, honestly, Barak Obama is coming out of this as some sort of hero. Well last time I checked NO MAN can walk on water…….NOT even Barak Obama…

Bernard   March 10th, 2008 11:50 pm ET

In response to Hillary saying Obama doesn’t have experience to be president and being ready day one. How much experience did our founding fathers have such as: Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Adams, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and others that gave us our US constitution and help form our Country?

Madeleine-Maryland   March 11th, 2008 12:05 am ET

Doug’s comment was right on point. Clinton is arrogant. Another example of her executive abilities. “Do as I say because it is due me not because I’ve earned your respect?”

Rick Katz   March 11th, 2008 12:31 am ET

After hearing senator Clinton , the other day, singing the praises of senator McCain, quote “senator McCain and I are the only ones in the race that have the experience to answer the phone at 3:00 in the afternoon or morning” maybe she ought to consider the vice president spot on his ticket.

debrajohnson   March 11th, 2008 1:09 pm ET

Maybe she can have Condi Rice run- then she can have race and gender and politcal affiliation be a factor ;-)

Plus, Condi has lots of experience. lol

mlabossi   March 11th, 2008 3:57 pm ET

There is precedent for such a move. As some will recall, Bush (senior) and Reagan fought a sometimes bitter battle over the nomination back in the 80s. Bush even called Reagan’s economic view “voodoo economics” at one point. So, perhaps we might still yet see an Obama-Clinton (or Clinton-Obama) ticket. Then again, perhaps not.

bamkuru   March 11th, 2008 7:20 pm ET

Obama could offer Hillary the VP post, that way they both win! a win win situation - what more could Hillary ask for.

mark   March 11th, 2008 7:54 pm ET

They even censor you if you respond to their BLOG… what a joke! Another example of “what the media wants you to see and what they don’t if you have an opinion. CNN re-evalate your network…

Janice McAllister   March 12th, 2008 2:54 pm ET

With respect to Hilary suggesting that Barack could be her running mate - the mere suggestion that she would name him as a running mate will encourage voters, who really want both of them, but are leaning toward Obama, to choose Hilary. Subconsciously, voters will start to think of her as the winner and put Obama in the VP spot. Hilary and Bill carefully calculate everything they say. We need to run before we all fall in the mire of Clinton double speak.

Erika   March 12th, 2008 4:16 pm ET

This shows that Hilary Clinton is in denial and believes that the presidency position is somehow owed to her. In my view she should be his VP not vice versa.

One more thing I have been watching CNN for the past few weeks and am planning on changing to another network for my political news. I think CNN is biased towards the Clinton’s!!

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