Nothing up Obama's sleeve... Presto!

While Sen. Barack Obama continues to make headway in a couple of early primary states, he still lags behind Hillary Clinton in national polls by a significant margin. At this point, one might be tempted to think it's all over for Obama but the crying unless he can pull a rabbit out of his hat. For all of you Obama watchers may be thinking he was looking for just such a furry friend during an odd breakfast meeting this week.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — New York may be Sen. Hillary Clinton’s home turf – but the man in charge, Mayor Mike Bloomberg, met this morning with Barack Obama, one of her chief rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The pair sat down for coffee and eggs in midtown Manhattan, just a quick cab ride away from former President Bill Clinton’s offices in Harlem.

The article goes on to point out that campaign representatives would only say the two discussed issues and policy, but the meeting inevitably had tongues wagging right away. Perhaps even more oddly, he also had a similar meal with Senator Chuck Hagel (R - Nebraska) a few days earlier. As one CNN commenter wrote, "I would vote for a Obama/Bloomberg or Obama/Hagel ticket. Wouldn't hesitate one bit."


So what was this about? Is Obama seeking an endorsement from Bloomberg, which he will likely not grant to Hillary? Or, as the comments speculated, could he even be floating the idea of a cross party ticket, offering the veep slot to either Hagel (a Republican) or Bloomberg? (A former Republican, now independent.) It's also possible that he really was only there to discuss the issues, perhaps trying to show that he's a "uniter, not a divider" and is ready, willing and able to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans.

The problem with the veep theory, of course, is that you typically don't settle on a vice presidential candidate until you've secured the election. It's not the sort of thing that generally helps you win in the primaries. Until one of them starts talking, we'll be left on the sidelines speculating.

One other item from the article jumped out at me.

The mayor might be a billionaire, but Obama still paid, and left a big tip – almost 60 percent.

This keeps popping up over and over again in campaigns over the last few cycles. Reporters, obviously having far too little real news to occupy their time productively, seem to obsessively follow the candidates around and check in with the wait staff at every meal to report on what sort of tip they left. What does this really accomplish aside from making a handful of waiters around the country have a good shift? I mean, I am always careful to tip well when I get good service and a good quality meal, but 60% is a bit much. Does anyone believe that any of these candidates regularly tip 60% when there aren't CNN cameras on them? I have gone as high as 40 or even 45% at a very nice restaurant where everything is really five stars, but I don't think I've ever tipped 60% on a really expensive meal.

This is news?