ABC's Sawyer Touts Clinton and Obama 'Dream' Ticket

Photo of Scott Whitlock.

"Good Morning America" co-host Diane Sawyer peppered guest James Carville about the possibility of a "dream solution," an Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama presidential ticket. The ABC journalist was so insistent on the subject that she posed the question to the Democratic strategist four times.

Without adding modifiers, such as "so-called or "alleged," Sawyer began the discussion of the two Democratic candidates coming together by cheerfully wondering, "Let me go to the other dream solution." It seems unlikely that members of the media would refer to a McCain/Romney or a McCain/Huckabee (the top GOP vote-getters) as a "dream solution." The GMA host then segued into a question that she would repeat over and over: "Knowing Hillary Clinton, as you know Hillary Clinton, will she ever run for vice president with anyone?" Sawyer insistently followed up by asking, "You think she would do it and you would recommend her to do it?"

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Apparently finding the subject of an Obama/Clinton ticket fascinating, Sawyer reiterated, "So, you think that she would do it if it came to it? You think she would do it if she's not ahead?" The ABC host then mentioned a bet on the subject she had made with "your old friend George Stephanopoulos." (Both Carville and Stephanopoulos were top aides to Bill Clinton. Stephanopoulos is now the anchor of "This Week" on ABC.) Sawyer, yet again, used the bet as another query about Obama and Clinton joining forces. She speculated, "And it's a question of whether, she, if she is on top, she will certainly ask Barack Obama to be her running mate. Who is going to win? Is he going to win? Is she certainly going to ask him?"

As noted yesterday on NewsBusters, the network morning shows are producing much more excitement for the Democratic race. On Wednesday, the day after John McCain won the Republican nomination, "Good Morning America," the "Early Show" on CBS and NBC's "Today" devoted 59 minutes to the Democrats and only nine to the GOP.

A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:10am on March 6, follows:

DIANE SAWYER: And now, for another perspective on all of this, we turn to friend of Senator Hillary Clinton, supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton, author of "40 More Years" that's James Carville joining us from Miami Beach, Florida. Good morning, James.

JAMES CARVILLE: Good morning, Diane. It is a good morning.

SAWYER: All right, well, If you're in Miami, I guess it is. Let me paint a portrait of two political parties. Yesterday, we saw the President actually doing a little dance on the White House, waiting for John McCain to come up. John McCain arrives. He slept late. He's planning his campaign ahead, he's thinking. On the other side, the Democratic Party arguing over super delegates, arguing over Michigan and Florida. And we read in the "Washington Post," the Clinton campaign arguing internally. Is messiness going to hurt the Democrat party?

CARVILLE: I can't imagine this country watching President Bush dancing and then John McCain embracing him and the message being if you like the last eight you're going to love the next four. The Democratic party-- You're right. We're having a heck of a contest out there. We're going on. This is exciting. It's thrilling. Our turn out is enormously larger than the Republicans. Our fund-raising is going great. So, yeah, I'll take that contrast any time. You have McCain and President Bush hugging each other in the midst of a recession like there's a big party going on and Democrats out there arguing and fighting about issues. So, I'll take this every day, Diane.

SAWYER: Let me tell ask you about a couple things that we heard Howard Dean talk about though.

CARVILLE: Sure.

SAWYER: He said Michigan and Florida can appeal the process. They can even hold another election. If they decide to hold caucuses, caucuses which tend to favor Barack Obama, would you go to Clinton campaign and say take 'em up on that offer?

CARVILLE: Well, of course not. What we want to do is we want to enfranchise as many people as possible. It's absolutely ludicrous. I'm sitting here in Florida which has been racked by this sub prime crisis. I don't know how many foreclosures there are in this state. If you look at what's happening economically in Michigan and what's happened to jobs up there and incomes. It's unbelievable that the Democratic Party cannot come together and figure a way to empower Washington, I mean, Florida and Michigan Democrats to get as many of them in the process. People in Pennsylvania are loving doing this.

SAWYER: What is wrong with a caucus if they decide to have a caucus?

CARVILLE: Why wouldn't you want a primary? Who would argue against having a primary?

SAWYER: Money.

CARVILLE: Wheat the basis upon which you wouldn't want to have a primary?

SAWYER: Money.

CARVILLE: Governor Crist has said he'd way for it.

SAWYER: But it would take longer to gear it up?

CARVILLE: So, what's the-- Why does it take that long? Why wouldn't anybody want to empower as many people to weigh in and make a decision on this? In particular in a state like Florida or Michigan, which is critical to the Democratic Party, to say we want to hear from you. Both of these states are suffering as a result of the idiotic economic policies of this administration. Why would we want to exclude Florida or Michigan Democrats. I have no idea.

SAWYER: All right. I assume that's a no. Let me go to the other dream solution. We heard Senator Clinton herself talking about the possibility that maybe they're heading, maybe everybody is heading to the point you have to have a Clinton/Obama, Obama/Clinton ticket. They have got to run together. She said, the question is, who is on top of the ticket. This is my question to you: Knowing Hillary Clinton, as you know Hillary Clinton, will she ever run for vice president with anyone?

CARVILLE: We have to weigh what the circumstances are. Democrats like both of their candidates. I mean, both of them have enormously high favorable in this party. Both of them, Democrats like the way they're out there fighting and talking about things. It may be that when the party comes together in Denver this is one option people have to consider. I think, Senator Clinton, if that's the case, Senator Clinton would have to consider a lot of things. But she's a loyal American and loyal Democrat. I'm sure she has to do what she thinks is the best interest of her country and the party. But we're a long way from getting to that decision.

SAWYER: So, you think she-- You think she would do it and you would recommend her to do it?

CARVILLE: Well, I wouldn't-- I mean-- I think that she's going to be the nominee. And you know, what I'm going to do is do everything I can to ensure that. And when we get to Denver we'll see what the situation is. By that time, I will expect that she's won the Ohio primary, the Texas primary and the Pennsylvania primary and the to-be-held Florida and Michigan primary. So, I think she will be in a strong position. But, I-- The Democrat voters are in charge of this. I would rather let the Democratic voters and I think Chairman Dean is exactly right. This is a voter-driven process that we have here, so let's hear from them.

SAWYER: So, you think that she would do it if it came to it? You think she would do it if she's not ahead?

CARVILLE: I-- Again-- When we get to Denver, you know, whatever the situation is, I think that she'll be the person on top, as we say. We'll wait to see what everything is. I think she's getting ready-- She's poised to have some incredibly big election nights here. But I don't know that, because, you know, these voters have a way of surprising all. I'm not a person to believe you take anything for granted. I'm a person that believes you believe you go out -- I think-- I know she agrees with me on that, because I've never seen a more heroic person in politics than she's been in these primaries in Ohio and Michigan -- I mean, Ohio and Texas.

SAWYER: All right. I need to know this. Quick yes or no here. I have a bet with your old friend George Stephanopoulos.

CARVILLE: All right. Okay.

SAWYER: And it's a question of whether, she, if she is on top, she will certainly ask Barack Obama to be her running mate. Who is going to win? Is he going to win? Is she certainly going to ask him?

CARVILLE: I think there's a good chance of that. I don't know for sure. But, boy, we've had President Kennedy ask Senator Johnson. We had a case of President Reagan and George H.W. Bush in 1980. We had John Kerry and John Edwards. I think Democrats like both of their candidates. And I think whoever the nominee is going to have to look at their primary opponent and give serious consideration to it. And I kind of like that. I mean, I love Senator Clinton to death. She's probably my favorite person in the world. But I like Barack Obama a lot too. And, we'll have to see.

SAWYER: Favorite person in the world, huh? Okay.

CARVILLE: She is. Outside of my wife, Mary! Come on. And you, Diane, after Mary and Diane, then I love Hillary the best.

SAWYER: I think you have your priorities reconciled there. Thank you, James.

CARVILLE: I love being on the show. Thanks, Diane.

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.


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Whose Dream?

It would be a dream ticket for Republicans.

That dream ticket would have combined lack of experience as they both admit.

That dream ticket would have the widest array of scandals past and current - particularly Obama with his Rezko connection. 

What is better than Hillary and McCain debating is watching Romney or Huckabee take apart Obama in any kind of debate.

As Hillary said the other day about Rush should apply to Sawyer: "Be careful what you wish for."

Dream Ticket ?

To me , it would be a bad dream ticket with either one on the ticket.

All the Republicans would

All the Republicans would have to do for ads is to play, over and over again, the comments they've made about each other.

Would save Mac a ton of

Would save Mac a ton of money, wouldent it?
 

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

Now why would Obama want

Now why would Obama want to the be the assistant to Vice President Bill Clinton?  Who do you think is going to be the de facto VP on a Clinton led ticket? Anyone who takes that spot will be so far out there in the chain of command that a little league coach will have more authority and influence on a Pres. Clinton than the figurehead "VP" position.

There is no way that Hillary will play second fiddle to Obama, not going to happen, her ego is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy too big.  Besides, Obama would need to sleep with one eye open with Clinton as VP.  LOL

 Lord Sidious / Darth Vader 2008  Long Live the Empire!  Come to the Dark Side, it is your Destiny.

"Wouldn't it be great if

"Wouldn't it be great if they ate each other?" - Groucho

I've had the same thoughts

but there is a problem with our analysis - we're applying our logical conclusions onto a demolib situation. We would need to suspend logical thought to conjure up what THEY might pass off as thinking.

From our point of view, neither would WANT to be subservient to the other, UNLESS there were some BIG, behind the scenes deals. hillbilly would want to be head honcho, just because, bho, being a "man" would have a problem with that, BUT would take it knowing that her thighness would need to be challenged in 2012, and then he could say he has the experience.

However, the real analysis should be who would want to be VP to either of them, and what would their aspirations be for '12? WHO would want to be second fiddle to either of these two? There has to be someone who can get closer to the middle, since they are both leftists. And, is there anyone with those credentials?

All in all, this will be an exciting race, I'm just hoping the entertainment fee, in '09, isn't too steep.

There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V

it's a survival choice

If Obama gets VP he has a chance of surviving for a full term as long as he turns the other cheek to all the illegal stuff Her Prezidentedness does.

If Obama is Prez and Clinton takes the VP slot, well, he'd better have a hell of a life insurance policy or Michelle's gonna have a hard time supporting her widow's lifestyle in the manner she's accustomed.

An Obama/Clinton team-the biggest moneymaker will be the bookies taking bets, on how long Obama will live and what method his death will take-"accidental" or "lone gunman". With Hillary spewing crocodile tears as she ascends the throne, untouchable-any criticizm deflected by the "tragedy" that elevated her.

 

"to call an illegal immigrant an "undocumented alien" is the same as calling a streetcorner drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist".

Bad move

 Who would  want to  be on these peoples ticket...Here  is just the latest that we know of in the clinton shame list...

"Last fall, as the Nevada governor's race was heating up, Clinton agreed to help raise money for Democrat Dina Titus, a prominent party leader in a state that holds a key early presidential caucus. Clinton arranged for Hsu, at the time a little-known New York apparel executive with no apparent reason to take interest in Nevada politics, to give Titus $5,000 on Nov. 3, according to a person with knowledge of Clinton's fund-raising. And in February, when former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack ended his own White House bid, he was about $450,000 in the red. A month after dropping out, Vilsack endorsed Clinton, and Clinton agreed to help him retire his debts. (Both insisted there was no quid pro quo.) Over the next few months, some of Clinton's biggest fund-raisers gave Vilsack checks, including Hsu, who kicked in the maximum allowable contribution, $2,300, on May 3 after attending an event organized by Clinton's campaign, Newsweek reported this month. An associate of Hsu's, Paul Su, chipped in $1,000 on the same day. In other cases, Clinton helped direct Hsu's money to influential politicians who have yet to endorse her but hail from key presidential primary states. Clinton raised at least $6,000 from Hsu and his network last year for Governor John Lynch of New Hampshire, according to Lynch aides. Lynch has no plans to endorse anyone before the state's crucial January primary, aides said. And at least some of the $17,000 that Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan collected from Hsu and his associates in 2005 and 2006 stems from a Nov. 29, 2005, fund-raising reception for her hosted by Steven Rattner, a New York investment firm executive and major Clinton donor seen as a candidate for US Treasury secretary if Clinton wins. Granholm's office said she has not made an endorsement decision." http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/26/hsu_raised

 _big_money_for_clinton_supporters/

 This does not even take into account Ron Paul, J. Chung, C.Tyrie, Mark Rich,  the $1.5 million given to the church in Harlem resulting in 60+ districts not counted correctly in the NYC primary , and etc etc.

Uh-OH....hold on a

Uh-OH....hold on a minute...did I hear(read) this right, Sawyer said the words if Hill's on top?

Where is the outrage?!

Oops forgot...it is always okay if a leftist utters the same words. 

»→ Dream Ticket

Who does Sawyer have to convince to foster such a plan?

♣ a seal

Good one.

I think Republicans would be WAY more motivated with Hillary anywhere on the ticket. In between that and the unfortunate habit of folks in the Clintons' way of occasionally dying, I suspect Obama's doing all he can to avoid this behind the scenes. IOW, since I'm speculating today, I suspect Bill Richardson's phone just might be ringing this week...
JMR

A corruption-story the TV media will-not cover.

No way will there be Obama and Clinton on the same ticket.

Neither of them are going to want to play second fiddle to the other.

And what sane person would want to be president with a power mad, ruthless person like Hillary as VP?

Theme for Election '08: I want my mommy!

I think Diane Sawyer needs to..

Doesn't she have an upcoming interview coming up with Bin Laden at a Taliban camp?

Here's hoping she shows up wearing a mini skirt, listening to loud popular music on her I-pod, and pops off this first question to Bin, "So, do you support the right of a woman to choose?"

 

Dream on

Are these people even capable of critical thought?

If Obama doesn't get the nomination, he won't take the VP slot because he'll want another shot at the top job in 2012.

If Obama does get the nomination, taking Hillary not only negates his "change" message, he would be negatively linked to the Clinton sleaze machine.  

Plus, I just don't think they like each other.

Well, the MSM have decided

Well, the MSM have decided on their next Holy Grail to pursue: the Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama ticket. They are just beside themselves at being faced with this "tragedy" (Eleanor Clift) of having two absolutely amazing candidates.

They are really feeling their oats now. They think they pushed Republicans to McCain; now they'd like to try their hand at the Democrat ticket.

This is what they want, and they will NOT let it rest.

Why would Obama want to be Bill Clinton's assistant VP ?

We all know Bill Clinton will be Hillary's Vice President, why would OBamarama want to be his Assistant ?

Let's get back to Reality here, get those Democratic feet back on the Ground, and get those Interns back under the Desks..... 

"Dream solution"?  Here's a

"Dream solution"?  Here's a tip, Diane: increased intelligence is an ingredient of neither collagen nor botox injections.   

I think Diane's "dream

I think Diane's "dream solution" would be for McCain to just drop out, the election to be cancelled, and HRC and Obama to be "Co-Presidents", in which case, a VP would not be needed.

Picture her saying: We're always saying we want politicians to quit arguing and do what's best for the country.  Well, here it is!!

her boy

What an indignity for Barrak Hussein to become Hillary's water boy on the new Plantation.

AMEN to Wesen -- no reason.

AMEN to Wesen -- no reason.