Could this really be true? Hillary Clinton not even vetted seriously by Barack Obama? No paperwork asked for? Nada? Zilch? The big zero?
The respected Mike Allen over at The Politico reports the following below:
There's one Democrat who would seem to have little or no chance of being picked by Sen. Barack Obama to be his running mate - his former opponent, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.
But it's not for the reason you think.
Obama has often said, most recently on NBC's "Meet the Press" on July 27, that Clinton "would be on anybody's short list."
But apparently not his.
"She was never vetted," a Democratic official reported. "She was not asked for a single piece of paper. She and Senator Obama have never had a single conversation about it. How would he know if she'd take it?"
The official also said Clinton never met with Obama's vetting team of Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy.
And the official said she was never asked for medical records or for any financial 2008 information about her or former President Bill Clinton. The last information the couple has disclosed about taxes and financial holdings was for 2007.
The Clintons also were not asked about donors to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library.
"This would be the biggest leap of faith ever," the official said. "She's waiting for the text message like everyone else."
An Obama aide said "absolutely exhaustive research was done on her over the course of the 16 month primary. She was researched more closely than any candidate in history."
How do you think this is going to go over with the Hillary crowd? I can see the signs now in Denver: "Hillary Deserved Better."Or more creative and divisive ones like, "No Vet, No Vote."
Look, we all knew Obama wasn't going to pick her. Even Hillary supporters figured as much.
But this loyal group of followers was already feeling disrespected and now this? I mean don't you at least have to go through the motions at least? John McCain is the Cheshire Cat smiling in the corner.
For a campaign that prides themselves on "no drama," they may have just created a five-act play.
Hopefully for their sake it doesn't end up like a Shakespearean tragedy. Et tu Brutus?