Former VA Governor Doug Wilder: Put Hillary On The 2012 Ticket

by Stuart Shapiro

In 2008, I told anyone who would listen (mostly my wife and my toddlers) that Joe Biden was a one-term pick for Vice President.  I figured Obama would want a hand in picking his successor by naming a veep not too old to succeed him, but did not predict it would be Hillary.  Former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder is now recommending Hillary as veep in 2012.

Since Obama has expressed admiration for the portrait of Abraham Lincoln that Doris Kearns Goodwin paints in “Team of Rivals,” he could do the 16th president one better: He should name Hillary Clinton as his running mate in 2012. That would be both needed change and audacious.

While I don’t agree that Obama should announce the change now, I think Hillary as veep could work wonders in 2012.  She has shed many of her negatives over the past couple of years (although some would come back as she returned to the spotlight) and most importantly she would bring an energy and excitement to the ticket that re-election campaigns often strive for.  She would particularly energize women.

There are two downsides: First, if Biden isn’t willing to go quietly (and when does he do anything quietly!) it could be painfully awkward.  Second, Obama’s base won’t be happy having spent eight months demonizing Hillary in 2008.  Still if Biden would cooperate, this is a move Obama should think about.

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.