Cuomo disappointed by thumbs down

Democratic Party elder Mario Cuomo said today that the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama camps have indicated no interest in an idea he floated in the Boston Globe -- that they should form a joint ticket.

At the least, he said in his op-ed piece, Clinton and Obama should agree to pick the other as vice president as a way to soothe the disappointment and bitterness of the other's supporters.

Appearing on CNN to plug his proposal, the former New York governor said he fears lasting damage in the party that could end up putting Republican John McCain in the White House. Cuomo is the latest big-name Democrat to publicly air such misgivings because the campaign has become filled with nearly daily attacks, with no end in sight -- at least not until June.

Cuomo said he's surprised by the cold shoulder he's received so far from the candidates, especially from Obama, since he has agreed to meet Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions. If the Democrats are willing to negotiate with foreign leaders, Cuomo asked, why not each other?