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(s)Elections See other (s)Elections Articles Title: Obama Unlikely to Pick Clinton as Running Mate, Kennedy Says May 9 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama isn't likely to pick rival Hillary Clinton as a running mate, according to one of his most prominent supporters. ADVERTISEMENT ``I don't think it's possible,'' Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy said in an interview on Bloomberg Television's ``Political Capital With Al Hunt,'' airing this weekend. Kennedy, 76, without naming names, said Obama should pick someone who ``is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people.'' ``If we had real leadership -- as we do with Barack Obama -- in the No. 2 spot as well, it'd be enormously helpful,'' Kennedy said. A vice presidential candidate with national security credentials would be ``useful'' though not necessary because Obama, an Illinois senator, has a good understanding of foreign policy, Kennedy said. ``I think he's been eloquent; I think he's been incisive; and I think he's been right,'' he said. Kennedy, chairman of the Senate committee that oversees health, education and labor, criticized presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's health-care plan. The proposal, which includes a tax credit and federal assistance to states, doesn't do enough to fix the U.S. system, he said. Health-Care Costs Kennedy said the McCain plan wouldn't do enough to reduce costs and expand coverage. He also said McCain failed to plan for the use of new technologies and preventive care. ``It's a marvelous plan for the insurance industry,'' Kennedy said. ``They just love it.'' Obama, 46, has built a virtually insurmountable lead over Clinton, 60, a New York senator. Earlier this week, Obama solidified his advantage by winning North Carolina's primary by 14 percentage points. He has 1,854 delegates to the August nominating convention and Clinton has 1,697, according to an unofficial Associated Press tally. He needs 2,025 to win. The prolonged battle between Obama and Clinton probably won't hurt the Democratic Party, Kennedy said. ``It's basically the divisions in terms of race and gender, and these involve people's emotions deeply,'' he said. ``Ultimately, the party is going to come together because they are so thirsty for victory.'' Traditional Democrats Clinton has argued that she is better at bringing out traditional Democrats such as non-college-educated white voters. Her appeal has much to do with the history that she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have with voters, Kennedy said. ``Many of those groups have great confidence in the Clinton brand,'' he said. ``They're more familiar with her.'' Obama will win over voters as they become more familiar with his message, Kennedy said. Catholics, for instance, should see that Obama is talking about the ``social gospels'' on issues such as poverty, he said. ``He'll do very well,'' Kennedy said. On the economy, Kennedy said one of the most pressing issues for Americans right now is the need for a new economic stimulus package. The government should do more with food stamps, assistance to states for health care and community grants, he said. Supplemental Funding A vehicle for passing a second package might be the supplemental funding measure for Iraq, Kennedy said. ``This ought to be a part of that whole program,'' he said. House Democrats omitted economic stimulus from a proposed supplemental spending bill because President George W. Bush threatened to veto any measure that is too expensive. The Senate could add stimulus provisions when it debates the legislation later this month, though Republicans probably would oppose any extra spending linked to the war funds measure. ``The time is now'' for action on economic stimulus, Kennedy said. ``The need is great now.'' Clinton and Obama have both made the faltering economy a central theme in their race. Kennedy's January endorsement of Obama was a blow to Clinton and her husband. Asked if he had spoken with Bill Clinton since that endorsement, Kennedy said he had talked with Hillary Clinton ``on a number of occasions.'' As for the former president: ``I haven't had that opportunity.''
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#5. To: christine (#0)
The first rule of Veeps is that he or she cannnot make the Presidential candidate look worse by bringing out all his faults. Webb is a real man and not marketing hype. He is also not a socialist which is why he never could win the nomination. I would vote for Webb. The Veep will probably be someone from Ohio or Michigan who has lots of local popularity and has the promise of carrying their home state. If you look at an electoral map, Obama will need Ohio and Michigan. He can write off Pennsylvania and Florida. I refuse to vote for either McCain or Obama. They both want to cut our wages and social security pensions 50% by passing Amnesty for Illegal Aliens. Gas used to be 37 cwnts a gallon before we added 125,000,000 legal and illegal aliens plus their children. Back then oil was less than $3 a barrel. Now we consume 20,000,000 barrels a day and import 12,000,000 barrels a day. If we add 50,000,000 people, will try to buy 3,000,000 more barrels a day by bidding it away from foreigners. This is whar Limbaugh could not understand in that article posted at 4um earlier today. The dollar will collapse in value as we attempt to buy oil for all those immigrants. There is only so much oil available. People buying oil with euros, yen and yuan will bid it away from us until we cut our oil consumption in half. I do agree with Limbaugh about the oil and natural gas available in Alaska. If Obama and McCain both support Amnesty for Illegal Aliens and they both refuse to drill the hell out of Alaska for oil and natural gas, then they both have decided to destroy America. I refuse to vote for anyone who tells me he will destroy America. I studied 4 foreign languages in school. But most of my relatives could only speak Canadian if they weren't in Quebec so where will they go after America dies?
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