whatever the outcome, I hope she never runs for the presidetal nomination again.

[AGirl]

I wonder what Hillary will do when/if she lost the nomination. It seems that her life long dream is to be the president, when it is all over, will she hang tough and wait to run again in 2016? Or will she finally just be herself and accomplish things in her own way? as opposed to the way how people have to do things to become president.

I might not know anything, but I think it's unhealthy when a person will do everything they can to seek for power, I think that's not what life is about... but maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't have much ambition.. hum.

[northzax]

1. they both have this one shot

if you make it past Iowa, you only get one bite at the apple in this party.

[Eric J in MN]

2. If John McCain beats Obama, then 2012 is when she could try again. NT

NT

[karynnj]

21. Consider that Gore thought 2004 hard and Kerry 2008

Both of these men ran good, principled campaigns - that were more successful than hers. Plus neither of them ended their runs with favorables at 37%. Not to mention, she and her people will likely share some of the blame if any of her "McCain and I pass the CIC test" is repeated in the GE.

I assume that the people who run will likely be people who haven't run yet.

[democrattotheend]

23. Gore probably could have run again in 2004

There were enough people who wanted him to. And there were a lot of people who wanted him to run this year. But Kerry was never going to get another shot. I'm glad he realized that instead of humiliating himself by running again and not even getting far in the primaries. He would have made a great president, but he was a lousy campaigner, and unfortunately that's what matters.

[karynnj]

24. I think that Gore could have run in 2004, if he committed to it in 2002 or 2003

I think that, in terms of the races run, Kerry ran a much better campaign than Gore did. He had far more excited crowds and his debates were better. 2004 was a far tougher race than 2000. I think the biggest problem Kerry would have had is that the media that ignores many faux pas of others, never ever would give him a break on anything - he was held to a different standard. He also had people - like you - who still blame him for losing in 2004 because he was able to convince people a win was possible.

I think that Kerry could have surprised people in 2008 - he was polling even with Edwards in 2006 - even though Edwards got very positive press and Kerry got snarky press. Once the debates started, Kerry would have taken some of the vote from each of the three. Why, because in many cases - he had solids credentials they didn't.

On Iraq, Obama was the only one not to vote for it, but he then voted against Keryr/Feingold. Kerry, with Kerry/Feingold and having spoke against the war before it started would have prevented Edwards getting to the left on this issue - Edwards was unwilling to encourage people to vote for Kerry/Feingold.

On Healthcare, Kerry's 2008 plan would have been based on the 2006 Faneuil Hall speech - and it was out before Edwards. He would have had a nice counter to HRC claiming S-CHIP parts of it were written by him (as they were taken from Kerry/Kennedy).

As a CIC, he, not HRC, has the credentials - because of his warnings on how to fight terror that he spoke of first in the 1990s - in 2006, even George Will was saying he was right. (Kerry is far more competitive on this than either Obama or HRC)

On the environment - he is competitive with any likely candidate including Gore. (Gore beats him on global warming, but Kerry had a much broader environmental record.

Everyone knew that 2008 was going to be far easier than 2004 - so Kerry would have to make the case that he came very close in 2004 and since than had been proven right on a huge number of things that he was called on in 2004 - and was often not backed up by leading Democrats on. It is also noteworthy that only one Kerry fundraiser and none of the policy people left Kerry before Kerry opted out. They mostly went to Obama. The question is whether Obama could have been as strong without those people.

What Kerry couldn't do is run as a fresh new person, who could get the country past the divisions. Obama can and that point was made when Kerry endorsed him. (I don't see that a run would have humiliated him - unless you think that Biden, Dodd, Richardson, Edwards (twice), Clark, Gephardt, Dean and very likely HRC have humiliated themselves.

[adoraz]

26. No, she can't win.

Even if she tries, she won't get the nomination. Every Obama fan would blame Hillary for losing (especially if this continues to go on). Some of the recent stuff she said about McCain and obama has gone way too far, and I know that if Obama loses this year and if Hillary does not drop out soon, I will blame her and certainly not vote for her in 2012.

[DesertFlower]

3. i don't think she will run again.

she has a job in the senate. she can become majority leader. some have mentioned her running for governor of new york.

[joshcryer]

5. I agree, she'll just drift into obscurity after running a few more campaigns.

Unless she gets the VP spot.

[DesertFlower]

8. she won't take second place. nt

[karynnj]

22. She will never be obscure - whe was a First Lady

[griffi94]

15. should obama

win the nomination but lose to mccain what do you think he'll do? will he stay in the senate or run for gov. of IL

[DesertFlower]

18. he'll stay in the senate.

[Sparkly]

4. No, this is it.

I don't think they can get this far and come back -- there's too much damage in the process.

I hope she stays a senator.

[DJ13]

6. It seems that her life long dream is to be the president

She's been a fool, so full of ambition she no longer thinks straight.

If she had remained concilliatory after her great performance at the close of the Texas debate, instead of going back on the attack, she might have had enough leverage within the party to force Obama into accepting her as his VP nominee.

That would have at least let her become the first woman VP in history.

But instead she is tarnishing the name Clinton to pursue an unobtainable goal.

[AGirl]

11. the Clinton name cannot be tarnished. Shameless people can't be shamed.

[DJ13]

12. True

I was just trying to be nice!

:)

[AGirl]

13. I wasn't trying to be mean to the Clinton..It's not meant to be insulting...having no shame can be

a smart move.

[Lucky 13]

7. Yes in 8 years.

[ericgtr]

9. By the time she's done she will be lucky to keep her Senator seat

she's out their hurting herself worse every day.

[MonkeyFunk]

10. I hope she runs for reelection in 2012

[Metric System]

14. You again? God, I can't keep up with your contradictions.

[mohc]

16. I think it really depends on who Obama picks as his VP

Although it seems unlikely now in the heat of battle, there is still the possibility of Obama offering and Clinton accepting the VP position. Both candidates are going to end up with over 40% of the support of the party, Clinton will certainly be the closest thing to a President in waiting that the VP is supposed to be.

If Obama picks one a "statesman" style VP, one that does not necessarily make for a good candidate but can run the country if need be, then 2016 (assuming Obama wins in November) will be wide open. To think Clinton would have no chance in such an environment is just silly.

On the other hand if Obama chooses a VP that could run a viable campaign, then I think this is it for Clinton. But honestly, with the exception of Democrats that have already said they would not accept the VP position, I can not think of a single candidate that fits this scenario.

I do not think we have seen the last of Hillary Clinton at the national level.

[Mme. Defarge]

17. She might have a future as a Rockette --

based on her self-comparisons to Rocky and "Paulette" Revere.

Come to think of it, it still might not be too late for her to get a shot at being an astronaut (astronette?).

[Mooney]

19. She could run again, but she would have to do things differently.

Mainly, she needs to lose Mark Penn and Bill. I think the two of them did more damage to her campaign than anything else.

Mark Penn is a fuckup. That's a no-brainer. But giving Bill Clinton such a prominent role in her campaign was a mistake, I think. I think it really undercut the argument that she was her own candidate, separate from him, which was an argument that she needed to make.

If she does run again, she should run as herself, leave Bill at home, and shitcan Mark Penn.

[scheming daemons]

20. She is too hated by too many Americans to ever be President... that's just the way it is.....

....

[kiranon]

25. She will be nominated for her 2nd term in 2012

[JVS]

27. The OP got banned. Strange, I didn't see any explosive fighting from her yesterday