Clinton booster's work is over (for now)

By David Nitkin

Lanny J. Davis's work on Hillary Clinton's behalf may finally be done, allowing him to return to his suburban Maryland home and spend time with his generation-spanning family.

Davis, an unparalleled defender of both Clintons, made waves this week by launching a petition drive to convince Barack Obama to put Hillary Clinton on his ticket. The effort - tacitly condoned by Clinton herself - drew so much concern for appearing to put pressure on Obama that the campaign had to distance itself from it.

"While Senator Clinton has made clear throughout this process that she will do whatever she can to elect a Democrat to the White House, she is not seeking the vice presidency, and no one speaks for her but her," spokesman Phil Singer said.

Since the criticism has surfaced, Davis said he has not been asked to curtail his work - which has included lengthy emails to journalists explaining why he views Clinton as the stronger candidate. (Davis is not a campaign adviser or staffer). But he said it is drawing to a close.

"I intend to do nothing further. This is not an advocacy campaign for me. I need to get my life back, meaning I have a family," said Davis, 62. "I did what I could for my good friend, Sen. Clinton, and I launched this and spent the last few days talking about it, but that's it."

"That's it in terms of me - No more Hillary, that's over, and no more petition, other than what I have done, and I am going to get my life back - with a 10 year old and a three year old - and by the way I have two older and five grandchildren....," he said, indicating that there were plenty of family members vying for his time.

Davis said he was "relieved" that the statement issued by the Clinton campaign on Thursday "is consistent with what I'm saying."

"I've been lumped together with people who have said 'Sen. Obama, you have to put her on the ticket.' I chose my words very carefully. My letter, and anyone who wants to endorse the letter....is advice," Davis said in an interview with The (Baltimore) Sun. (Click here for a fuller story.)

"You make the final decision. Whatever decision it is that you make, we will support," Davis said, referring to Obama. "That's a big difference. He is free to reject my advice. A lot of people reject my advice. Join the crowd."

Davis said he told Clinton of his petition, and was not dissuaded from going forward.

"I told her that I was going to do it, but I was going to do it on my own, independent of her or anyone in the campaign. She simply joshed me that in the almost 40 years that we've known each other, I've never done what she has asked me to do anyway, so she was not gong to try to persuade me one way or the other," he said. "So the answer is, I informed her I was doing something on my own, and she's allowed me to do it."

So what did Clinton say about being a running mate? "When I talked to her about her interest in being vice president, she was open to it, but ambivalent," Davis said. "Her openness is because she is a patriot and a Democrat and believes that her 18 million voters and especially her appeal to segments of the population that Sen. Obama did not run strongly with can help elect him president."