(CNN) – Sen. Chris Dodd on Sunday joined the chorus of Democratic leaders downplaying the idea of a joint ticket between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
"These are two great candidates who fought very hard, but my sense is today that that probably won't be the ticket," Dodd said on NBC's "Meet The Press."
Dodd, who abandoned his presidential bid on January 3, said he thinks it's "very clear" Obama will be his party's nominee.
Dodd expressed confidence that his party would rally around Obama, despite the lengthy primary season.
Obama campaign chief David Axelrod on Sunday predicted the process would be over soon, but avoided talk of any potential running mates.
"We'll focus on the vice presidential choice at the appropriate time," he said on "Fox News Sunday."
Clinton campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe has said a joint ticket would be a "great idea," but the New York senator's strategist on Sunday said "any talk of it is premature."
"I haven't discussed it with her. She hasn't discussed it with me. I've seen no evidence of her interest in it," he told Fox.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said it's up to the candidates to sort out the ticket.
"Only two people can make that decision and that's Obama and Clinton. No one else can make it. If that happens, it happens, but it can only be with the two of them," he said on ABC's "This Week."
He said the extended fight for the Democratic nomination has been "great for the country," pointing to increased voter registration for his party.
Reid said people should "just relax" because the primaries will be over June 3.
The renewed buzz of what some have called the "dream ticket" comes as Obama closes in on the Democratic nomination in recent days.
The senator from Illinois last week had a double-digit win in North Carolina and a narrow loss in Indiana.
Obama holds a commanding lead in the number of pledged delegates awarded from primaries and caucuses: 1,592 to Clinton's 1,424.
Following a flurry of new endorsements over the past few days, he trails Clinton by just one in the race for superdelegates.
At the beginning of the year, Clinton led the superdelegate race by more than 100.
Superdelegates are party leaders and officials who vote for the candidate of their choice at the Democratic convention in August.
The focus of the Democratic race has largely turned to the superdelegates because they outnumber the remaining pledged delegates that are up for grabs.
According to CNN's latest calculations, Clinton has 273 superdelegates to Obama's 272.
The Democrats face off Tuesday in West Virginia, where polls show Clinton with a substantial lead.
Clinton has a 43-percentage-point advantage over Obama, 66 percent to 23 percent, according to a survey from the American Research Group released Friday.
The poll was conducted after Tuesday's primary results and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
"This state is really Hillary Clinton's wheelhouse. It's an older population, socially conservative, blue-collar workers," said Kennie Bass, a political reporter for WCHS in West Virginia.
Obama acknowledges that West Virginians favor Clinton.
"She is going to do very well in West Virginia and Kentucky. She will win those states, in all likelihood, by significant margins," Obama said this week.
Obama took a break from the campaign trail Sunday, spending Mother's Day in Chicago, Illinois.
Clinton had three stops scheduled in West Virginia ahead of the primary, and her husband, Bill Clinton, was campaigning for her in Oregon.
From CNN Politics
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I don't blame them for not wanting to vote for obama his supporters have been so mean and hateful just write in clintons name as a protest over the election since it wasn't democratic anyways.
Until this presidential campaign, I considered myself a Democrat. However, I could never justify voting for an inexperienced candidate even though he was fortunate that the media didn’t investigate him or report its findings until after Super Tuesday, that 98% of his race voted for him because of his race, that the DNC blundered the process, and that an auspicious primary schedule allowed him to win the Democratic nomination. I now consider myself an Independent who will vote for the most experienced individual who best represents me, no matter what their party affiliation.
Clinton or McCain in ‘08 or Clinton in ‘12
It's amazing how Hillary supporters keep stating Obama lacks experience when 99% of their policies are the same. Get real people...Once again some would rather cut off their nose inspite of their face. Quit being selfish and think about your kids. You'd rather split the party or vote for McCain because the person executing the same ideas and thoughts as yours happens to be different? Wow this is truly a sad day....
Has anyone bothered to ask Senator Dodd how he had the delusions of grandeur to think he was recognized enough to even attempt a Presidential Campaign run?
The man got roughly 1.5% of the vote, while he was running.
HILLARY WON'T RUN WITH ODRAMA!
HE IS GOING TO LOSE!!!!!!
I WILL ENJOY WATCHING IT!!!
HE IS AN ARROGANT RACIST!!!!!!
True black, get a grip!
Obama has a wide choice of VP candidates. How about another woman? There are many good candidates, such as Gov. Janet Napolitano of my great home state of Arizona. She is smart, savvy, and has backed Obama for a long time even though Hillary won AZ in the primary. Janet would appeal to women, Westerners, and fiscal conservatives. She is awesome!!
Hillary is not out and this fight is still on. When America wakes up and see's that Obama's lead was engineered by the republicans, they will flock to Hillary Clinton, the only democrat that can win back the White House in 2008.
Hillary..all the way to the convention if you have to. Your supporters will fight with you.
I know that some bloggers like the so-called black American for Hillary above, may not even be black. Thats the funny thing about blogs. Today you may be black and tomorrow white, whichever one brings across your point better. Anybody who thinks that God wants Hillary to be back in the White House is as unspiritual and delusional as their candidate. There are conservative prophetic pastors who prophesied about Obamas candidacy in a very positive light, before he even started his campaign. If you really tune in to God you would know that God is the one who is granting favor to Obama for such a time as this. Gods ways are not our ways. He is a just God.
Obama 08
I'll modify & True Black 4 Hillary,
I am a older white voter and I voted for Obama for what he stands for and what he can change within this failing country. The true bigots are you. You are NOT true democrats if you think skin color or gender are what makes a candidate strong.
I guess because I didnt cast my vote for Hillary and I am female I am a bigot....Not on your life. I did research based on FACTS and I dont like bullies...actions speak louder than words.
Sen Obama WILL be our nominee and select a suitable VP.....And we will defeat McCain in the fall.
Too many negative things have been said in a desperate aim of destroying the other person; it is good to "look before you leep" because when one falls, the only person that could come to one's rescue could be the person you earlier tried to destroy.
GOD bless America.
For those of you who still don’t get it, let me try to make this crystal clear. Its not that we don’t “like” Obama – hell, he’s probably a nice guy in some respects. But this is a job interview for the presidency, not American Idol. He has proven himself to be a racist, a hypocrite, and a pathological liar. If he were anyone else, his resume would have been in the can months ago. But – and let’s be honest here – its not who he is, but what he stands for.
Its simple folks – there is absolutely no way he will be president. Millions and millions of democrats, republicans, and independents will see to it this Nov. As painful as it is to say, McCain may be old, but he is far more qualified to lead. This is not about party loyalty, it is about what is best for our country – our future. Mark my words, Obama will not make it to the presidency – we will see to it.
Half the party voted for Clinton. If this snob obama does not pick her, half the democratic party does not vote for him. It is as simple as that.
hey,h,good riddance! we don't want liars and racists on our ticket,or in OUR party.you say your the true democrats,when all you do is side with the republicans in attacking obama.true democrats vote for the nominee of their party.your just upset that your negative rants haven't worked.you peeps are so pitiful.
No Hillary on the ticket.
Let's all buckle up and wait for the results of the remaining primaries.
Would be nice if all pondents stop asking Hilary to stop fighting.
I think Hillary will end up with more popular votes and possible with more delegates.
it is not over until it is over. Many states did not have their conventions yet also and until then noone knows how many delegates those states will allocate for either candidate. I believe Hillary may end up with more delegates in Denver!
Hillary 08 and 12!
The problems for the Democrats are two-fold.!
If Obama is the nominee then you have the blue collar demogaphic and legions of delusional Hillary supporters who say they will vote McCain for not vote at all.
The only way Hilary becomes the nominee is through a back room, arm twisting deal in which she forces 80% of the uncommited superdelgates to support her. The black and independent vote WILL NOT support Hillary in that situation..
Both scenarios do not bode well ifor DEMS in the general election.
Who would have thought that after 8 years of an inept and disastrous Bush administration we would open the door for another 4 years of the GOP.
susan from missouri.hillary lost on super tuesday.
Wouldn't change anything for me. I still wouldn't vote for Obama. McCain 2008
–Former Democrat
Hilliary try again in 8 years.
This race will be fought hardest in the states between Minnesota/Iowa and Pennsylvania. Those would be Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania (and possibly Indiana). Also, Obama needs to reach out to the Clinton supporters. That tells me the ticket will be Obama-Bayh or Obama-Rendell (with Casey's blessing, which he should give in return for Rendell's blessing when Casey runs for governor). It also tells me that the Republican ticket will be McCain-Pawlenty or McCain-Portman. They both bring some youthfulness to the ticket, and Pawlenty creates some buzz as the host governor for the convention.
BadgerGuy33
You Democrats kill me.
Lets look at a few things. In 2008 you have the best chance to take the White House that has presented itself in a very long time. You have not one, but two decent candidates (whom, i might add, agree with one another 95% of the time. look at their voting records) And yet, with all this, you're still going to find a way to lose.
With regard to those calling for Hillary to run as Ind. I say she should go for it. Independent campaigns have always been so succesfull in this country...
By allowing yourselves to become this divided over two candidates whos differences are purely aesthetic, you've doomed yourselves. When John McCain wins in November. don't blame Barack Obama. Don't blame Hillary Clinton. Don't blame the DNC. Don't blame the media. Just take a look in the mirror.
Here's to four more years of this crap...
billy from fla. and fran:i see your posts on here every day,and i know your both republicans.one article,you bash hillary.next article,you bash obama.you are only working to divide the dems,because you know your buddy mccain's going down,in the fall.
good god David, now you are saying that god has spoken and he has chosen Obama, another reason not to vote for Obama, his supporters are not only hate filled and racist, they are nuts!
A True black American for Hillary – You need some professional help.
elizabeth:he IS electable.he beat your candidate,so,p.o.!