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While Republican presidential nominee John McCain can take his time in choosing his vice presidential candidate, a tight race on the Democratic side is resulting in some chatter of a fusion ticket between Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

In particular the suggestions keep coming from the Clintons — and it's a notion Obama does not take as a compliment.

 

Democratic Dream Team?

Stumping Monday in Mississippi, Obama countered the Clintons with strong language and no uncertain terms.

"With all due respect: I have won twice as many states as Senator Clinton; I have won more of the popular vote than Senator Clinton; I have more delegates than Senator Clinton," Obama said. "So I don't know how someone in 2nd place is offering the vice presidency to the person in first place."

Obama also hit the Clintons for calling in to question his experience for the job of commander-in-chief while suggesting him for the #2 spot.

"I don't understand," Obama said. "If I'm not ready how come you think I'd be such a great VP?"

It's become a frequent Clinton talking point: MaybeDemocratic voters who are torn don't have to choose after all.

Last Friday in Mississippi, stumping for the Magnolia State's Tuesday primary, Sen. Clinton told voters, "You've got to make a choice. A lot of people wish they didn't have to. A lot of people say 'I wish I could vote for both of you.' Well that might be possible some day. But first I need your help on Tuesday."

This weekend on the trail, Bill Clinton went further, calling a Clinton-Obama ticket an "almost unstoppable force."

"I know that she has always been open to it," the former president said, "Because she believes that if you can unite the energy and the new people that he's brought in and the people in these vast swaths of small town and rural America that she's carried overwhelmingly, if you had those two things together she thinks it'd be hard to beat."

 

Obama: I'm Not Running For Vice President

Citing their demographic strengths, Clinton said of Sen. Obama and his wife, "he would win the urban areas and the upscale voters, and she wins the traditional rural areas that we lost when President Reagan was president."

As Al Gore joked on Saturday Night Live years ago, picking a vice president can be like an episode of "The Bachelor."

"I respect all of you. And I wish I could have three running mates, but it's just not constitutionally viable," Gore said, holding up a single long-stemmed rose in a skit where he selected Joe Lieberman over John Kerry and John Edwards. "I've made my decision."

But Obama and his allies feel this is more like an undesired arranged marriage, and a shotgun one at that.