Barack Obama as VP

[_Xenophon]

I get what you're saying, Jersey Girl, and I'm not trying to suggest the answer is an outright "no", I just am leaning more to the idea that it is an unanswered question.

Another question worth considering is *when* the constitutional issue would come up. A little googling leads me to believe that, assuming Obama (or anyone under this situation) met the requirements for appearing on the ballot, there wouldn't really be a problem until the Electoral College at which time they would have to make their case and you could see a legitimate legal battle begin.

Perhaps you could select Obama as the running mate just for the hype to drum up votes with the understanding that he wouldn't wind up being your actual VP. That seems more like tic-tac-toe masquerading as 10d chess though.

[_Jersey Girl]

Well, Xeno, let's look at the 12th Amendment. This (bolded) seems to rule out Obama running for VP. Could this be challenged? I don't know the answer to that.

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate;

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;

The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.[a]

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

[_Jersey Girl]

In my heart of hearts, I would love to see Obama run for VP, however, I don't think that will happen because of the criticism and controversy it would lend to Biden's campaign. Poor old Joe couldn't get it without standing on Obama's shoulders. I think Biden, although he regularly references his part in the Obama administration, would want a clean slate on which to put his signature on the office of President. In other words, I think he'd want to own it outright as well he should.

So for various reasons...

Bernie? No way in possible hell.
Bloomberg. Fack no.
Warren? I don't exactly see it but maybe.
Buttigieg. Maybe
Klobuchar. Maybe.

He might have someone else up his sleeve who never stood on the debate stage to begin with. So as usual, I have no clue. He did say at one point that he wouldn't rule out a Republican VP candidate.