The Hillary-Obama Dream Ticket

In the California Democratic Debates, CNN guru Wolf Blitzer dared to utter the thought that has crossed more than one American's mind. Is there a possibility of Hillary and Obama joining forces and running a "dream ticket"? Neither candidate vehemently opposed the idea, although semantics as to who would be the front-runner were debated.

And why not? There is a reason that even with John Edwards stepping out of the race, the run for the Democratic nomination is still too close to call. Hillary and Obama admit that their platforms are very similar. They both want health care for more Americans. They both want to create green jobs and boost the economy. They both want to bring troops home from Iraq.

The difference is in the details, and therefore the decision comes down to a more emotional response on the part of voters. Who do they like better? Who do they think will get the job done? Who inspires them? The media would like to pigeonhole Americans, saying that women will vote for Hillary and blacks will vote for Obama. Exit polls have shown this to be untrue. What is true is that there is strong support for both candidates among all special-interest groups. Even the Kennedy family is torn over which Democrat they support.

So, what are the benefits of a Hillary-Obama ticket? Arguably, an unbeatable combination. Hillary has the experience and international presence to wield much influence in the middle East, and successfully bring troops home. Her husband serving as a diplomat won't hurt either. Health care reform is her specialty, and she will move quickly and efficiently to bring about needed change. She has experience battling the institution and coming out successful. She is a doer.

Obama has been likened to JFK because he is likable, and inspiring. He is young, fresh, and his rallies sound a lot like Evangelical church services. He knows how to use language to incite passion, and he has taken on the hat of the face of change. He is something new that this country has never seen, and something that many Americans would like to support, even if it's just to claim that our nation really is a non-biased melting pot. He's the poster boy for civil rights in action.

Individually, either Hillary or Obama would face an uphill battle against the institution come next fall. Together, they represent the anti-institution, and the changing face of America.