The lie about a unity ticket

With each day it becomes clearer Clinton will not win the Democratic nomination, her supporter's desire to maintain some amount of control over the presidential race is seen as they begin to suggest Clinton has somehow "earned" a spot on the general election ticket.  This suggestion is another argument from her camp that she somehow "deserves" a role in the executive branch.  The argument for a unity ticket however goes against the grain of what many of us have seen anecdotally, misunderstands the movement Obama has created, and inappropriately suggests that having Clinton as a VP could only help.  

The first lie about a unity ticket is that it would help bring the party together.  What will bring the party together is a clear contrast between the ideas of Barack Obama and John McCain.  Having Hillary on the ticket will muddy the waters when it comes to defining our view on foreign policy, Iraq, and now the economy thanks to the gas tax argument.  Instead of clearly staking out the democratic position, a unity ticket is likely to make both Hillary and Obama supporters feel as if they've compromised their, confuse swing voters about where exactly we stand on the most critical issues that face our nation.

The second lie about a Unity ticket is that it's the only way Hillary's supporters are going to be appeased. Generally speaking, people vote for the top of a ticket.   There are very few people that would vote against Obama without Hillary but for Obama with Hillary.  To suggest that Hillary's supporters would somehow coalesce  around Obama only if Hillary is on the ticket gives them little credit and also assumes Hillary would only work to support Obama if she were on the ticket.  Both assumptions are false, and if Hillary hopes to be a leader in the Democratic Party she will have no choice but to do so.

The third and probably the biggest lie is that it could only help, and wouldn't do any harm.  Indeed the exact opposite is true.   Obama does indeed struggle with some voters and he is going to need to work very hard to win them over - something I believe can be done.  But Hillary also turns off a LOT of people.  So many in fact that there are independents who find Obama refreshing but would quickly lose their affection for him if his "heartbeat away for the presidency" choice was the same person they have so viled for the past 15 years.

Both clinton and Obama talk about how their difference are small when compared to McCain.  This is true - but it doesn't mean it makes the most sense for them to be together either.  There are a number of people that would be much better fits with Obama to clearly stake out why he won, how the party is going to move forward, and what his movement represents.  

For all these reasons I have started and signed a petition at http://www.nohillaryforvp.com to keep Hillary Clinton off a general election ticket.  I hope you will join me.