Mr Bean's American Presidence 2008 Nightmare Scenario

[Mr Bean]

This theory came to me after hearing Hillary Clinton insist that she would ensure that Michigan and Florida would have it's delegates re-instated. And it came to mind a nightmare scenario I will outline below.

It's August 26th, the Democrat convention is on-going. It's been a tight race but thanks to some political horse trading and strong-arming of the Democract party leaders the Democrat nominee is Hillary Clinton, however the way Hillary has won is because of re-instated Florida and Michigan delegates, it's obivious and the meeting reports it as such that if those delegates had not been seated then Barrack Obama would have won the nomination due to Edwards throwing his support behind him back in March. In fact the months of June and July have featured very strong words between each campaigns as the Hillary camp fights hard to get the Florida and Michigan delegates re-instated in time for the Convention.

The fighting turns bitter between each side and in the middle of this an offer is made. Specifically, John McCain VIA John Kerry(They are good friends FYI) sends an offer to Obama. Throw his support behind John McCain, and he can have the VP spot and two of his own people on the cabinet or a offer similar to that is made.

The Convention ends, Hillary is named and Obama does not make his "I support the Democrat nominee speech." Instead in a surprise August 2nd announcement, John McCain tells the world that Barrack Obama has signed on to his campaign as a Democrat. Obama gives a inspiration speech along the lines of "They fixed the game against me, I can not support a woman who would defame the ideals of democracy" or what have you and the two enter the Presidential race with McCain's base and Obama appeal and his own not so inconsiderable base.


This is most defiantly a what if scenario, and I'm wondering two things, one the likely hood of such a thing happening, it has been considered before, it was back in 2004 by John Kerry(Now in reverse). I rate it at extreme long shot, but I'm wondering where every else puts it.

Second, I'm wondering what the short and long term affects on such a ship jump would be? Describing this to a friend of mine he said it would cause nothing short of the implosion of the democrat party depending on how the media spins it(IE the Democrats won't let no black man into power, they fixed the election when the realized he might win or something similarly crazy), So what do you think the short and long term fall-out of such an event occurring would be?

[Darth Fanboy]

This is possible only if you get past the obstacle of aRepublican allowing a Democrat VP to be the tiebreaking vote in an already sharply divided Senate. Doesn't seem like a power I think the Republicans would want the Democrats to have unless all their other options have been exhausted. Especially if they feel they can get Congress back to even numbers or better.

Plus I can't see Obama's base sticking with him if he decides to jump to the Republicans in order to become VP, I think there's a lot of people on his side that would really dislike voting for a GOP president. Then you get the added weirdness of what happens in the next election, would Obama run again and attempt to get his own party's nomination? Or would a two term Dem VP for a Republican president have the same inside track to the Presidency? I don't think Obama would try and be a McCain VP because it might torpedo his presidential aspirations for good.

But that's just all my own unfounded speculation.

[Glocksman]

If it's a McCain/Clinton race, I'm sorely tempted to eat my gun.
I disagree with Obama on a lot of issues, but I don't hate him as a person and I'd much rather have an honest liberal holding office than a corrupt conservative.
Whereas both McVain and Hillary Rodham Antichrist have proven time and time again that there is no limit to their dishonesty.

If there is a God and He displays mercy to the USA, then the nominees will be anyone but McCain and Clinton.

As for the odds of a McCain/Obama ticket, I'd have to say that's on the same level as me being elected.
The Repub base would see it as the last straw and react accordingly, while Obama's base would wonder just what principles he compromised in order to make the deal with Satan....er..an outspoken advocate of the Iraq war.

[Frank Hipper]

If McCain hypothetically runs with Obama as his VP, I'd vote for him.

I'm thinking McCain isn't long for this world, ya see; have you noticed the rate that the thing on the side of his face is growing?

[Mr Bean]

If McCain hypothetically runs with Obama as his VP, I'd vote for him.

I'm thinking McCain isn't long for this world, ya see; have you noticed the rate that the thing on the side of his face is growing?

His ear?

The reason I purposed my senario as in the OP is that a simple naked power grab would lose Obama his supporters for sure. But what if the Clinton's pull off a naked Swiftboating of Obama and get some serious heat for it? But not enough to break the campaign. With Edwards out of the race now the probability of Clinton going heavily negative on this campaign is even more likely.

[SirNitram]

Honestly, my 2008 Presidential Nightmare would be learning why the WaPo appended probably to the 'Last SOTU from Bush'.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Honestly, my 2008 Presidential Nightmare would be learning why the WaPo appended probably to the 'Last SOTU from Bush'.

Oh crap, seriously? I don't doubt you, but do you have a link to that?

[The Spartan]

Honestly, my 2008 Presidential Nightmare would be learning why the WaPo appended probably to the 'Last SOTU from Bush'.

Well, the text of the Constitution does say, "from time to time" not "once every January" so, in theory, he could deliver another one any time he wants.

That said, yeah, it's still kind of creepy what with the tradition, I suppose you could call it, of holding it once a year.

[Guardsman Bass]

This theory came to me after hearing Hillary Clinton insist that she would ensure that Michigan and Florida would have it's delegates re-instated. And it came to mind a nightmare scenario I will outline below.

It's August 26th, the Democrat convention is on-going. It's been a tight race but thanks to some political horse trading and strong-arming of the Democract party leaders the Democrat nominee is Hillary Clinton, however the way Hillary has won is because of re-instated Florida and Michigan delegates, it's obivious and the meeting reports it as such that if those delegates had not been seated then Barrack Obama would have won the nomination due to Edwards throwing his support behind him back in March. In fact the months of June and July have featured very strong words between each campaigns as the Hillary camp fights hard to get the Florida and Michigan delegates re-instated in time for the Convention.

Keep in mind that this is unfortunately out of date already - Edwards is announcing that he's going to concede, and it doesn't look like he's going to endorse either candidate. I could still see something like this happening in a modified form, though, if Super Tuesday splits evenly, or mostly evenly.

The fighting turns bitter between each side and in the middle of this an offer is made. Specifically, John McCain VIA John Kerry(They are good friends FYI) sends an offer to Obama. Throw his support behind John McCain, and he can have the VP spot and two of his own people on the cabinet or a offer similar to that is made.

This would essentially never happen. For one thing, the endorsement by Barack Obama for John McCain would probably be a negative for McCain - McCain is trying to keep the Republican base on his side against accusations that he's untrustworthy and possibly even - gasp! - liberal, and an Obama endorsement would re-start over all that.

Moreover, McCain, while he's worked across party lines, would probably not actually go this far. Remember that he immediately rejected the rumors back in 2004 that he would run on the Democratic ticket with John Kerry.

[Stravo]

No matter how much outrage is generated by a (likely) Clinton dirty tricks win there are certain factors against an Obama insurgency.

1) It would betray everything Obama has been talking about and what his goals and initiatives are. One thing he is promising to do is pull out brigades from Iraq immediately so that in 18 months time we will be down to bare bones in Iraq. McCain would have a fit at such a proposal. Raising Minimum wage and increasing tax benefits for the poor also very incompatible with the Republicans and considering McCain's issues with the republican base I have a feeling he will become a true believer Republican before the nomination and really come on strong as a conservative.

2) Obama would be persona non grata in the party and he's smart enough to realize that even if Hillary does her 8 years (assuming he doesn't run against her in the second term) he's still young enough to make another run with promised support from the party. In other words, he would be asked to take one for the team in return for a virtual guarantee of party support (invisible of course) on his next run. Politics is like that, favors returned for other favors. No one wants to be caught out there without friends.

3) Little faith in the electorate. I just don't think the outrage could be sustained that much. Let's remember we had a national election stolen in 2000 with the president decided by a completely partisan Supreme Court election and where did that leave us? Was there blood shed in the streets? mass protests, national shut downs and work stoppages? No. people fucking shrugged grumbled and went about their lives. Let's call a spade a spade and say the American public really doesn't give a shit. The people excited by Obama and his message will simply evaporate and not take part in this election.

[SirNitram]

Honestly, my 2008 Presidential Nightmare would be learning why the WaPo appended probably to the 'Last SOTU from Bush'.

Oh crap, seriously? I don't doubt you, but do you have a link to that?

Link

That is the problem Bush faces as he prepares to deliver his seventh and probably final State of the Union address tonight.

The guy rules by fiat and sees no restrictions on his power. I do not consider it impossibly, just unlikely, that he would do something insane.

[Frank Hipper]

If McCain hypothetically runs with Obama as his VP, I'd vote for him.

I'm thinking McCain isn't long for this world, ya see; have you noticed the rate that the thing on the side of his face is growing?

His ear?

No, this.
His color is downright ghastly for a man who has professional makeup artists to prepare him for TV appearances, on top of that.

The reason I purposed my senario as in the OP is that a simple naked power grab would lose Obama his supporters for sure. But what if the Clinton's pull off a naked Swiftboating of Obama and get some serious heat for it? But not enough to break the campaign. With Edwards out of the race now the probability of Clinton going heavily negative on this campaign is even more likely.

I agree completely.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Link

That is the problem Bush faces as he prepares to deliver his seventh and probably final State of the Union address tonight.

The guy rules by fiat and sees no restrictions on his power. I do not consider it impossibly, just unlikely, that he would do something insane.

That does jar the senses a bit, I'll give you that. I still like Bush, but NOTHING stops the elections.