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For everyone out there who thinks that Barack Obama should choose Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential running mate, please take a deep breath and listen to an appeal to reason. I liked Hillary, honestly. I have a copy of her autobiography. I have defended her in public for years-in Texas-when no one else would. But enough is enough. This primary campaign has brought out the worst in her and her husband, who I love as well despite his inability to keep it in his pants. I fear that Senator Clinton's behavior has done her reputation a long-lasting disservice by alienating many of us who were always quick to take her side. I believe she has been unfairly vilified for decades, but she deserves the bad press she's getting right now.

Strike One: No one likes take backs. She showed a massive lack of grace by contesting the results in Michigan and Florida. Now she likes to claim that she won the popular vote, but that's because she's doing what President Bush calls "Fuzzy Math" by including Michigan and Florida's defunct votes.

Strike Two: No one likes blatant pandering. Before you call me naive, I'll admit that all politicians have to resort to some sort of pandering to get elected. My problem was that hers was over the top. Taking shots of whiskey at the blue-collar bar (which my mama says you shouldn't do until your second date) to show that she's just like us after Obama's embarrassing bout at bowling (and I feel for him on that point because I've bowled a 57 on my best day), decrying NAFTA in the Ohio while praising it in Texas, and proposing that ill-conceived idea to make the gas companies pay the tax this summer.

Strike Three: No one believes that Obama can't win certain states without her. Granted-Clinton won the primaries in New York and California, historically two of our country's most liberal states. Does anyone honestly think he won't carry them without her on the ticket? Senator Clinton also won Texas, but this is the land of "Walker, Texas Governor," a place where the current President is still very much revered and usually goes for Republicans in national elections anyway.

Hillary Clinton won the Hispanic vote by a large margin, and if you feel that Hispanics are the key to beating John McCain this November, then New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is undoubtedly your man. If you feel (like I do) that Obama needs a running mate with a strong military background, then many of our wishes would be granted with Senator Jim Web of Virginia (assuming he'd take the job). If the mother of all miracles occurred in my fantasy dream world, then we would have Al Gore on the ticket and in the White House again-where he belonged for the past eight years.

Learn more about this author, Rebecca Bauer.
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