Clinton Says She's Not Seeking Vice Presidency (Update1)

Clinton Says She's Not Seeking Vice Presidency (Update1)

June 5 (Bloomberg) -- Hillary Clinton today distanced herself from efforts by supporters to pressure presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama to pick her as his running mate.

The day after saying she will end her historic bid for the Democratic nomination and endorse Obama, the New York senator's aides sought to tamp down suggestions she is vying to be the party's vice presidential candidate or is behind efforts to draft her for the role.

Clinton ``is not seeking the vice presidency, and no one speaks for her but her,'' spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a written statement. ``The choice here is Senator Obama's and his alone.''

The two rivals held a private meeting tonight at Clinton's Washington home, the New York Times reported on its Web site, citing Democratic officials. The session was initiated by Clinton, and Obama delayed his return to Chicago for the discussion, the Times reported.

Earlier in the day, Obama sought to cool down speculation about who he would choose for a running mate.

``I've said before that Senator Clinton would be on anybody's short list,'' he told reporters in Bristol, Virginia. ``But I am not going to discuss who is being considered, how they're being considered. We're just not going to talk about this anymore.''

Push From Supporters

Clinton's strengths in parts of the Democratic electorate have led many of her supporters to push for a joint ticket. Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television and a Clinton backer, this week sent a letter to House Majority Whip James Clyburn asking him to urge the Congressional Black Caucus to push Obama to pick Clinton as a running mate.

``Why take a risk?'' Johnson said in an interview with Bloomberg Television today. ``Senator Clinton delivered voters that Senator Obama did not.''

While Johnson said Clinton ``definitely would like to be vice president if invited,'' Wolfson's statement sought to end talk that she is campaigning for the job. It didn't rule out her accepting the job if offered.

Another Clinton supporter, Lanny Davis, special counsel under President Bill Clinton, has begun an online petition to push for a joint ticket.

``We ask you to select Senator Clinton in recognition of the more than 17 million Democrats who supported her at the polls,'' Davis wrote to Obama in an appeal yesterday.

Closing the Campaign

Clinton plans to end her campaign, which brought her closer than any woman in history to the U.S. presidency, with an endorsement of Obama two days from now.

``I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise,'' Clinton, 60, said in an e-mail to supporters early this morning.

She hasn't said what her next steps will be or what role she would want in the general election campaign.

Obama, 46, clinched the nomination two days ago when he amassed the required number of delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August. Clinton said she will help ``rally the party'' behind Obama in his campaign against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, an Arizona senator.

In his first action as the Democratic Party standard- bearer, Obama today said the party would no longer accept campaign donations from federal lobbyists and political action committees.

Campaign Help

Obama took steps to reach out to Clinton supporters today, praising her campaign and inviting assistance from Bill Clinton. The former president repeatedly attacked his wife's rival during the primaries, generating criticism from Obama's supporters.

``I think Bill Clinton is an enormous talent and I would welcome him campaigning for me,'' Obama said while campaigning in Bristol.

On the stump, he and McCain, 71, squabbled over how to boost the availability of wind and flood insurance for Florida hurricane victims and other victims of national disasters.

Obama overcame the many advantages Clinton had when she entered the race in January 2007. She had one of the best-known names in Democratic politics because of the popularity of her husband and a deep well of fundraisers and supporters throughout the country.

Obama racked up victories in caucus states by energizing hundreds of volunteer activists. Clinton hardly contested many of the caucus states and as a result fell well behind in the delegate count.

While there have been rumors going around that hilary was debating on whether she would run for vice president under obama which hilary just stated she will not be doing. I feel this is a shame because they are both great and seem they would be good together.

Daniel Del Rivero