Drudge: VICE PRESIDENT HILLARY; SPECULATION INTENSIFIES IN WASHINGTON

Official Washington and the entire press corps will be rocked when Hillary Rodham Clinton is picked as Kerry’s VP and a massive love fest will begin!

So predicts a top Washington insider, who spoke to the DRUDGE REPORT on condition he not be named. “All the signs point in her direction,” said the insider, one of the most influential and well-placed in the nation’s capital. “It is the solution to every Kerry problem.”

“There are three issues that this campaign will be decided on — national security, health care, and the economy, not necessarily in that order.”

“Kerry believes that no one is better on national security than he is, he served in Vietnam after all, so he has that covered and the suggestion that he needs to strengthen the ticket with someone who has national security credentials is dismissed as foolish.”

The insider continues: “The Democrats feel like health care is the domestic issue. But how to make it the dominant topic of conversation — break through war and terrorism? Hillary Clinton. She catapults it out front with her commission. She tried to provide health care before and the Republicans in congress attacked her and her husband and used a bunch of scandals dirty tricks to stop it, we know they are scandals and dirty tricks because the former president book says so. So now you have the number two person on the ticket who is a ‘health care expert’ and what will Republicans do? Attack on health care pointing to her commission saying that it was government medicine. Her response — it wasn’t, and the Republicans are a bunch of dirty tricksters, “Liars and Crooks,” as Kerry calls them, and its been too long and Democrats wont let the Republicans do it to them again. By the way, it puts prescription drugs on the back burner, the Republicans health care ace. You will have a fully engaged national debate on health care from now until the election.”

Interesting.

In many ways, this makes the most sense. Hillary is of course a lightning rod and could sway swing voters away from the ticket, but she would energize the base. The two are ideologically compatible. She’s the biggest star in the Democrats’ bullpen. Plus, from a Machiavellian sense, it would make it harder for the Clintons to sabotage the ticket in order to preserve Hillary’s options in 2008.

Of course, she has repeatedly and unequivocally stated that she will not be on the ticket and will remain in the Senate until the end of her term. And, as we all know, a Clinton never lies.

FILED UNDER: 2004 Election, Terrorism, , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Moe Lane says:

    Clinton for VP? Right idea, wrong party.

    (pause)

    OK, probably not, but just imagine the broad-spectrum head explosions that would result amongst the punditocracy… 😉

  2. McGehee says:

    Moe, not just in the punditry. Imagine being a Secret Service agent on the Bush detail, knowing that Hillary knows she’s only one heartbeat away from the presidency. And never mind people like me who would refuse to vote for the Bush-Clinton ticket.

    Although I would start buying up stock in pretzel companies, anticipating Hillary’s plot.

  3. Alkaline says:

    McGehee, I can’t imagine any circumstance where any reasonable person would vote for any ticket headed by Bush

  4. Boyd says:

    Kevin, did you forget to close the door to the troll dungeon after you finished tormenting them?

  5. Alkaline says:

    Snickering Boyd,

    You call that torture? You must’ve missed the real Bush and Rumsfeld-approved torture at Abu Ghraib, or the treatment of Pearl, Berg and Johnson that was the result of the “Bring It On”/Never Served cowboy’s attitude. Torture would be four more years of the Bush Administration’s “Hate American Values” program. Grow up, child. Admit your man’s failures, admit it was a mistake to ever let him head the ticket of a major party, a great party, and let’s move on. America’s got a world to lead, and we can’t do it with people like these in office. God Bless America!! And to Hades with those who hate her and hate us!!

  6. McGehee says:

    Boyd, you call Alky a troll? A mistake like that puts me in mind of a certain particular scene in Crocodile Dundee.

    Alky’s more of a gnome.

  7. Attila Girl says:

    Hillary is not going to accept any attempt to draft her, because 1) she doesn’t want to hitch her star to the wagon of someone who’s going to lose, and 2) she has her eye on 2008 anyway.

    Why do you think the Dems nominated somene who votes to the left of Ted Kennedy? Because they want to *win*? Please.

  8. niq says:

    How in the world could the Democratic base possibly need more energizing?

  9. iowacatlady says:

    This thing between McGayhee & Boy D is making me a little squeamish. Unless they’re 12-years-old.

  10. Boyd says:

    That makes you squeamish? You should avert your eyes, lady. That ain’t nuthin’.

  11. Ti/Lorna says:

    McGayhee fantasizes about playing with guns and Boy D eavesdropped on sailors in the Navy. Assignment’s over, but those two are almost as creepy as Kaos.