Mills on the Hill: Dissing Hillary

Please check out my latest column, “Coming clean: Confessions of a serial independent voter.” Although it has some biographical material you might find of interest, it is really my personal road map for Obama and McCain if they hope to pick up independent voters this fall.

But, in light of Barack Obama’s historic night last night, this one small bit of additional advice:

Dear Sen. Obama,

End this Hillary for VP talk now! I mean today. You pick Hillary Clinton for veep and you do two things: 1) you blink and tell me that you don’t REALLY believe your own message about “turning the page” and 2) you give the GOP back several chapters that they were in the process of ripping out of their playbook.

The GOP is scared to death of you right now. You are a phenomenon. Sure, they are going to hammer you on the “experience” issue all fall, but you have them totally unsettled. You bring Hillary back in and they run against her, and bring you down in the process.

Dick Cheney notwithstanding, the VP slot is not a co-presidency. The VP should wake up every day with one question on his or her mind: “What does my boss want me to do today?” Is Hillary that person? What about Bill? Nope. End the talk now.

Sure, there will be a few rough days, maybe weeks. But better now than in September. Dance with the one that brung ya — you. Go with your gut. You know it’s the wrong choice. Make the call. Now. Before it gets out of hand.