Via the AP: Sen. Clinton says 2nd White House run is unlikely
In an interview aired Tuesday on “Fox & Friends” on the Fox News Channel, Clinton, D-N.Y., was asked the chances, on a scale of 1 to 10, that she would be the next majority leader in the Senate.“Oh, probably zero,” she said. “I’m not seeking any other position than to be the best senator from New York that I can be.”
Being nominated to the Supreme Court?
“Zero,” Clinton said. “I have no interest in doing that.”
Running for president again?
“Probably close to zero,” she said. “There’s an old saying: Bloom where you’re planted.”
I suppose her White House plans depend very heavily on what happens in November. If Obama wins, it strikes me as unlikely that Clinton would challenge him for the nomination in 2012, unless his first term was an utter disaster. In 2016, Clinton would be 69 by election day, and while that is not an out of the question age, it does hit that range wherein one wonders if one is willing to undertake the campaign and the office. Still, I wouldn’t rule it out.
While on the one hand, I could see her carving out a political legacy for herself as Majority Leader, I can also see why she wouldn’t want the job. Unless the Democrats can muster 60 seats, the Majority Leader tends to be in the unenviable position of leading the biggest block of votes, and yet being unable to force legislation through the process the way the Speaker can in the House. One is therefore simultaneously vested with seeming power while being put in the position of having to negotiate and compromise with the minority (which makes one look weak as a result).
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October 14th, 2008 at 11:37 am
How about Governor? (Although Patterson is likely to stick around a while). Or–even better–she moves into the city and runs for mayor!