Will Hillary Clinton seek the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2016?

[Mr. Morden]

"The only cure for presidential ambition is embalming fluid."-Moe Udall

[Mr. Morden]

According to the special "behind the scenes" issue of Newsweek that came out after the election, she was huddling with advisors during the DNC, to discuss the possibility of a 2012 candidacy, should Obama lose.

Face it, she still wants to be president.  If Obama serves two terms and is at least passably successful in the eyes of the public, she will step down as SoS in early 2015 to begin her campaign for president.  Especially if Joe Biden opts to take a pass on 2016 (not unlikely), Clinton would try to run as Obama's "heir apparent", filling the space that is usually occupied by the incumbent vice president.

[Mr. Morden]

Something worth keeping in mind: People keep saying "The Dems just don't like to nominate retreads from previous elections.  Only the GOP does that."  OK, but how often do you have a primary contest as close as the Democratic race in 2008?  The only modern equivalent on the Democratic side would be Mondale vs. Hart in 1984.  And in that case, Hart was considered the heavy favorite to win the nomination in the following election.  It's only because of Hart's sex scandal that his candidacy imploded, and we got Dukakis instead.

[Mr. Morden]

Of course she won't. She'll be near 70 at the time and she has a lot of trust issues. I think that young upstart Marvin O'Matley has a good shot though.

I was thinking Brian Schweitzer.  He wears a bolo tie so he has "common man" appeal, and I don't see him saying anything to embarrass himself.