Why didn’t Obama pick Hillary as his running mate?

[darklordoftech]

He barely defeated her in the primaries, so shouldn’t he have wanted her as his running mate?

[Redban]

First -- That he narrowly beat her in the primaries doesn't support the argument that he should have picked her.

Anyways, what I remember about Obama's VP pick is that the discussion centered on experience. Obama at the time was a fresh-faced, 46-47 yr old junior Senator (who hardly did anything as Senator); so his opponents often argued, reasonably, that he wasn't qualified. Therefore, all the pundits said that Obama needed someone seasoned to balance the ticket and counter the attacks. That is how gray-haired Joe Biden came in.

Another claim that came up is that Obama didn't need to pick Hilary or another big name. The 2008 environment was the most favorable environment for Democrats, with Bush's disapproval ratings. So people said that Obama just needed to pick someone who was boring and wouldn't make news; he didn't need to make a splash by picking Hilary. Had he picked Hilary, it would have been a big story. But after picking Biden, people just shrugged and went back to criticizing Bush, which was the goal.

When Obama picked Biden, I heard this statement, "Biden didn't help Obama, and Biden didn't hurt Obama. And that's all Obama needed in 2008, a sort of break-even VP selection"

[ultraviolet]

First -- That he narrowly beat her in the primaries doesn't support the argument that he should have picked her.

Anyways, what I remember about Obama's VP pick is that the discussion centered on experience. Obama at the time was a fresh-faced, 46-47 yr old junior Senator (who hardly did anything as Senator); so his opponents often argued, reasonably, that he wasn't qualified. Therefore, all the pundits said that Obama needed someone seasoned to balance the ticket and counter the attacks. That is how gray-haired Joe Biden came in.

Another claim that came up is that Obama didn't need to pick Hilary or another big name. The 2008 environment was the most favorable environment for Democrats, with Bush's disapproval ratings. So people said that Obama just needed to pick someone who was boring and wouldn't make news; he didn't need to make a splash by picking Hilary. Had he picked Hilary, it would have been a big story. But after picking Biden, people just shrugged and went back to criticizing Bush, which was the goal.

When Obama picked Biden, I heard this statement, "Biden didn't help Obama, and Biden didn't hurt Obama. And that's all Obama needed in 2008, a sort of break-even VP selection"

This. Also, having no white men on the ticket might have hurt them, though not enough to swing the election I don’t think.

[Crumpets]

Personally, I think she was a very good fit for the SoS position, and I think Obama probably thought similarly. She may have even privately indicated that that was the job she preferred in an Obama administration. I don't know if Obama ever seriously considered for for the VP slot, especially if that had been mutually acknowledged.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

When Obama picked Biden, I heard this statement, "Biden didn't help Obama, and Biden didn't hurt Obama. And that's all Obama needed in 2008, a sort of break-even VP selection"

Biden absolutely helped Obama. He was picked entirely because he fit the stereotype/image of a moderate Democrat who would appeal to blue collar whites (and because of his 30 year Senate career). Basically the message of the pick was "The Black guy may be scary, but if he's running with old Scranton Joe, the ticket can't be too extreme or too inexperienced."

[RINO Tom]

Because it's blatantly obvious to everyone but DNC fanboys that the Obamas and Clintons don't like each other at all?  Haha.

[brucejoel99]

I don't know if you remember that campaign, but it was a little... acrimonious, to say the least. There was so much bad blood by the end of that thing that there was no way Hillary was gonna be his VP. The big thing that Biden brought was being somebody who'd be able to help Obama with experience when it comes to dealing with DC politics - kind of a bizarro Cheney, if you will. Biden could help Obama get things done without overshadowing him.

[Horus]

Because she sucks.

[SInNYC]

because he wanted to win. Obama ran as fresh blood breaking with the old DLC corporatist Democrats that ran the party without being too far left (I realize some supporters of other candidates branded Obama as a DLCer, but thats not what he ran as nor what voters saw him as). Hillary would have been yet another DLCer that would have been a finger in the eye of his very enthusiastic base. Biden gave him much needed gravitas and he was not a DLCer (though he was not exactly on the left).

Also don't forget that some party leaders recognized Hillary's general unpopularity, to the extent that Reid encouraged Obama to run in the first place.

[Canis]

It wouldnt have helped him electorally it was already a huge deal having a Black man on the ticket having a woman as well would have freaked a lot of Americans out in 08 also the primary got pretty nasty towards the end with Obama alleging that Clintons campaign started the birther movement against him which ironically enough was the thing that turned Trump from a Democrat into a republican Trump was a PUMA lol

[FriendlyRanger]

Crooked Media had a series of videos on picking the Vice President ahead of Biden picking Harris where it was revealed that Obama didn't even consider picking Hillary as a running mate.

In fact, according to them, Obama ever seriously considered three white men to be his running mate. Between Joe Biden, Evan Bayh, and Tim Kaine, Obama definitely made the best pick.

Hillary Clinton was sort of like Lloyd Bentsen. Picking her might have come across to some as Obama picking somebody more presidential than himself. Plus, as others have said, it could have come across as a bit too much for a country that had seen exactly one minority (1928) and one woman (1984) on a major party ticket up to that point. Having both on a single ticket could have driven voters to McCain regardless of who he picked to be his running mate.

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

Because it's blatantly obvious to everyone but DNC fanboys that the Obamas and Clintons don't like each other at all?  Haha.

In 2008, yeah, although it's pretty obvious that all went away early on in his administration.

[Hnv1]

When Obama picked Biden, I heard this statement, "Biden didn't help Obama, and Biden didn't hurt Obama. And that's all Obama needed in 2008, a sort of break-even VP selection"

Biden absolutely helped Obama. He was picked entirely because he fit the stereotype/image of a moderate Democrat who would appeal to blue collar whites (and because of his 30 year Senate career). Basically the message of the pick was "The Black guy may be scary, but if he's running with old Scranton Joe, the ticket can't be too extreme or too inexperienced."

Obama's book shed some light on the issue, beyond the still fresh grudge, it seemed that everyone thought Bill Clinton walking around without a clear role would be a bad decision.
He also said that it was either Biden or Kaine (which HRC later picked) which makes me think that VP pick is something the candidate delegates to the DNC and they wanted some establishment man.

BTW reading the book the steady impression is that if anything Biden is\was to the left of Obama on almost all major issues.

[jmsstnyng]

Picking Hillary would have hurt his message of change. Yes, Biden did not help with the change aspect, but he wasn't the GOP's villain for nearly 20 years at the time. Also, he helped with working class voters. I am surprised his tendency to speak off script did not cause more concern. He definitely helped him. The only negative about Biden in '08 was centered on his plagiarism and maybe being seen as dumb.

I also think that Obama wanted to pick someone old enough that they would not run in '16. I believe this was the unofficial olive branch to Hillary's camp. She won't get the VP slot, but she will have an open lane in 8 years. Obama could have picked other white midwestern senators (Tom Harkin had all of the pros of Biden without the gaffes. He also would not have likely run in '16).

[Bootes Void]

you would have an ego clash, and the administration wouldnt blend in very well

[buritobr]

The VP doesn't increase the number of votes of the presidential nominee, but he/she can decrease the number of votes. So, usually, the running mate is a boring person, so that nobody loves and nobody hates

[Motorcity]

Also, Obama needed and wanted a partner to help him with the greatest economic crisis ever. Biden could do that with his congressional experience. Plus he was seen as too old to run in 2016 so he could focus on helping the administration and not on a campaign (lol)

It was obvious Hillary wanted to run again. Being SoS for one term both gave her foreign policy cred but also allowed her time to run. And promising her that was enough to get the Clintons on to fully commit to campaigning for Obama both in 2008 and 2012

Also, a black man and a women ticket might have been seen as too radical in 2008

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

It wouldnt have helped him electorally it was already a huge deal having a Black man on the ticket having a woman as well would have freaked a lot of Americans out in 08 also the primary got pretty nasty towards the end with Obama alleging that Clintons campaign started the birther movement against him which ironically enough was the thing that turned Trump from a Democrat into a republican Trump was a PUMA lol

I'm unsettled by the lack of punctuation in this post.

[Chips]

Picking Hillary would have hurt his message of change. Yes, Biden did not help with the change aspect, but he wasn't the GOP's villain for nearly 20 years at the time. Also, he helped with working class voters. I am surprised his tendency to speak off script did not cause more concern. He definitely helped him. The only negative about Biden in '08 was centered on his plagiarism and maybe being seen as dumb.

I also think that Obama wanted to pick someone old enough that they would not run in '16. I believe this was the unofficial olive branch to Hillary's camp. She won't get the VP slot, but she will have an open lane in 8 years. Obama could have picked other white midwestern senators (Tom Harkin had all of the pros of Biden without the gaffes. He also would not have likely run in '16).