Trading races or bending genders, had Senator Obama or Senator Clinton been born a black woman, could either have become the Democratic nominee? Probably not. America has demonstrated its willingness to choose the first black or the first female candidate of a major party. Could have gone either way. Some day we will have our first black female president. Not this time.
Nor does it seem likely that Senator Obama will choose a woman to run for vice president. We can't know how many votes he will lose just because of his race. But others who lack that prejudice will stumble on gender criteria.
What a milestone year it could have been, 2009, an inauguration of the first black president and the first female vice president. It could still happen.
What if Obama choose, as his running mate, Al Gore? I'm not suggesting that we ask Albert to become Alberta. Let's just not forget the number 543,816. That's how many more people voted for Vice President Gore than for Governor Bush, for president! Before he won the Nobel Prize or the Oscar.
The 25th amendment limits only the number of terms a president can serve, probably assuming that to ask anyone to serve more than twice as vice president would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Gore has made it clear he did not want to run for president again. What makes anyone think he would accept the nomination to run with Obama? He might, given two conditions. One, President Obama would have to swear to take global warming seriously and follow whatever steps Vice President (once more) Gore would suggest. And, two, Gore would be allowed to resign the vice presidency on January 21, 2009.
Gore resigns and Obama appoints, subject to confirmation, a woman. A slightly delayed milestone, a milestone, perhaps, with an asterisk, but no less significant.
But please, no jumping to conclusions. After all, if we're looking for milestones and envisioning the truly bold maneuver, someone might suggest we break one more barrier? We've never had an Italian-American president or vice president. I'll bet Nancy Pelosi would be available.
Nor does it seem likely that Senator Obama will choose a woman to run for vice president. We can't know how many votes he will lose just because of his race. But others who lack that prejudice will stumble on gender criteria.
What a milestone year it could have been, 2009, an inauguration of the first black president and the first female vice president. It could still happen.
What if Obama choose, as his running mate, Al Gore? I'm not suggesting that we ask Albert to become Alberta. Let's just not forget the number 543,816. That's how many more people voted for Vice President Gore than for Governor Bush, for president! Before he won the Nobel Prize or the Oscar.
The 25th amendment limits only the number of terms a president can serve, probably assuming that to ask anyone to serve more than twice as vice president would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Gore has made it clear he did not want to run for president again. What makes anyone think he would accept the nomination to run with Obama? He might, given two conditions. One, President Obama would have to swear to take global warming seriously and follow whatever steps Vice President (once more) Gore would suggest. And, two, Gore would be allowed to resign the vice presidency on January 21, 2009.
Gore resigns and Obama appoints, subject to confirmation, a woman. A slightly delayed milestone, a milestone, perhaps, with an asterisk, but no less significant.
But please, no jumping to conclusions. After all, if we're looking for milestones and envisioning the truly bold maneuver, someone might suggest we break one more barrier? We've never had an Italian-American president or vice president. I'll bet Nancy Pelosi would be available.
