Hints that Hillary will skip WH race to whip Senate Dems into shape

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT op-ed: The Job Sen. Clinton Should Want
Skip the presidential rat race and whip the Senate Democrats into shape.
By Ezra Klein, EZRA KLEIN is a writing fellow at the American Prospect. His blog is at www.EzraKlein.com.
August 22, 2006

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM has it that Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is an absolute certainty. But in Washington, many believe otherwise, fearing for her prospects and those of the Democratic Party she represents. And now there are fascinating hints that these forces are aligning to offer her a dignified way to demur from an ugly and ill-fated presidential effort, while still emerging a national leader.

Earlier this month, Steve Clemons' blog, the Washington Note, quoted highly placed sources as saying that Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid had pulled Clinton aside and offered her a deal: Eschew the presidential campaign and succeed Reid as leader of the Senate Democrats in 2009. Reid's office, of course, strenuously denies the claim. But Clemons, the director of the New America Foundation's American Strategy program, is no fabulist, and this week, similar speculation showed up in Time magazine....(W)hatever the hype, Clinton's path to the presidency isn't an easy one. But the road to Senate leadership may be. Clinton possesses qualities that could turn the thankless, grueling realities of congressional preeminence into something glamorous and powerful. She's a human megaphone, for one, able to focus the press corps on whatever it is she wishes to say that morning. Such a skill would prove invaluable to a legislative leader, allowing her to set the agenda and advance her priorities even from the minority.

Second, she's an extraordinary fundraiser, far and away the best the Democrats have. She's raised $33 million for a Senate reelection campaign that lacks a serious opponent — partly the benefit of retaining the Clinton Rolodex, partly a function of her own magnetism.

Perhaps most important, her ability to bury enmities and forge alliances has been astonishing. She's reached out to the bitterest foes of her husband's presidency, seeking rapprochement with everyone from impeachment manager Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to bête noire Newt Gingrich. In the famously collegial Senate, where success relies on odd bedfellows and mountains of goodwill, she's that rarest of creatures, able to conjure partisan passions when elections beckon but also to resurrect constructive relationships when legislation need be passed....

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-klein22aug22,0,78525.story?coll=la-opinion-center

[Doctor_J]

1. Oh, no. What will Tweety talk about for the next 2 years?

Besides how good * looks in a flight suit.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

17. Exactly...

... it has always been the GOP and their pundits that keep "Hillary for President in 2008" in the media stream. I do not recall Hillary ever claiming to be running for the White House in 2008. Hillary is the GOP dream of a Democtratic Party presidential candidate. I hate to say this, but no matter who the lady is, America is not ready to elect a lady president.

[snappyturtle]

2. I think this would be good for....

Hillary and the country.

[Pirate Smile]

20. Me too.

[tanyev]

3. If she does that, she needs to keep quiet about it right up to the filing

deadline so the RWers will continue to waste all kinds of money trying to vilify her.

[bluestateguy]

4. That would be the most noble and loyal thing she could do

To walk away from a virtual lock on the nomination for the good of her party, to work for her team, would be a very admirable gesture on her part.

[nolies32fouettes]

11. she doesn't have a virtual lock. Most people I talk to would rather

vote for their pet than vote for Hillary.

Every single person believes that the Republicans WANT Hillary as our candidate which is why she polls high. However, then they will vote Republican. She's a set up.

However, if she's not going to run, I agree with the poster who said to not announce it till after the Republicans waste money on smearing her.

[William769]

5. This has been the most sensible read so far about Hillary Clinton.

I like Hillary Clinton alot & wish her the best whatever course she takes, but since I have been on DU I have always said she will not run for President in 2008. I feel I will be vindicated here shortly.

[mcscajun]

6. This is the first suggestion I've seen that makes perfect sense.

I'm not just saying this because I'm a Clark partisan. It's pure brilliance, and I'd never have thought of it; on balance, it seems like a perfect match of position and talents.

[mnhtnbb]

7. Somebody deserves a medal for this idea!

[Totally Committed]

8. I hope you're right....

Aside from Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (a position I have always felt Hillary was born to hold), head of the Senate would not be a bad thing at all. She will NOT win as a Presidential Candidate. She is unelectable.... I believe that.

TC

[Johnyawl]

12. She's relatively young, TC, she could do both in her lifetime...

...5-10 years as majority leader of the Senate would gaurantee her approval if appointed. All we would need is for Roberts to vacate the seat at the appropriate time.

[Totally Committed]

18. Wouldn't she make a great Chief Justice?

No one could ever say she was too far Left! I think she'd be perfect.

But Roberts is younger than she is, so I'm not sure his vacation of his slot will happen soon enough for her to get the position. But, I think that is her true vocation... not the Presidency. In the meantime, she's make a good Senate Majority Leader, if she gets out from under the corporate weight of the DLC.

TC

[thereismore]

9. I like it. Makes perfect sense to me. nt

[Eurobabe]

10. B-b-but, what will the CONS have to gossip about

No Hillary in the race for 2008? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!

[Dogmudgeon]

13. I've been saying this for a couple of years

And I've been occasionally vilified as a "tool of the DLC" for it.

How is it that I have had such super-human insight into Hillary Clinton's mind? Because I've taken the time to read what she's said. And, consistently, it's been "I'm not running in 2008."

Believing that, I suppose, makes me 100% DLC.

Hillary has a good thing going for her right now, and she'd be a fool to sacrifice it without rock-solid party support -- and the Party no longer supports any of its members to that degree. One jot or tittle of disagreement, and half the party screams TRAITOR! WHORE!

But about 80% of the people of New York like her (at least those who take the time to vote), which is better than most leaders in any position get. So in the Senate she stays.

Sure, it's possible she'll run in 2008. Just not very likely -- and not likely enough for any of us to have nightmares over it.

--p!

[Stinky The Clown]

16. Good post!

:thumbsup:

[LibDemAlways]

14. Talking heads will explode if this comes to pass.

They've all but annointed Hillary the nominee - particularly the repukes. Heard some moron last night on Tweety opine that she's a shoe-in.

Hillary is not dumb and realizes the potential for embarrassment in the primaries.

I'd prefer someone considerably less DLC to lead the Democrats in the Senate, but if it prevents an election blow-out that hands the Presidency to the rightwingers for another 8 years, it's a small price to pay.

[Stinky The Clown]

15. I hope this is the launch of a trial balloon that stays aloft

I actually like this idea a lot. I think she'd be a very good leader - probably better for a Minority leader but almost as good as a Majority leader. If nothing else, this gets us a voice in the media.

All the DLC/triangualtion yammerings aside, she'd pretty much stick to the basic Democratic agenda. As leader, she's not able to do anything on her own, but as leader she is very much part of paving the way for things to be done by others. There are few issues important to our side where I can imagine her being an impediment of any sort; at worst she'd use silence.

And since she gets elected *only* by New Yorkers, who clearly like her, Republoican heads will explode almost as much as if she were president, but they couldn't do one damn thing about her. That's not a way to get serious legislation done, but it does serve to tickle my cold black heart!

[geiger]

19. I just commented on another post that her support of the war

will prevent her winning the Presidency. Her gifts are probably best utilized in the Senate as an alliance builder, I agree.