Hillary As Majority Leader?



(image via hillary.org)

Granted, there is something vaguely condescending about floating the idea of Hillary -- a frontrunner for the Presidential nomination of the Party in 2008 -- as Majority Leader (But can Hillary really add-on any state Kerry didn't already win?). And, to be sure, the Democrats are, as of press time, unlikely to actually win the Senate, despite Senator Schumer's laser-like efforts. Still, nothing is impossible; a landslide could happen if, say, sweet Virginia and bellwether Missouri tilt Left Senatewise. In the unlikely event that, say, the Senate goes Democrat, the extremely competent Senator from New York could give LBJ a run for his money as a legendary Majority leader. And, in the process, clear the landscape for the reentry of Al Gore. Says our favorite social chronicler, David Patrick Columbia in NYSocialDiary:

"The conversations around the tables at Michael’s (the ones I know about, which are damned few) were about the election today. All the astrologers (you wanted to know?) say that the results are going to be 'cloudy,' 'confusing,' 'unclear,' at least at first. Things like: Lousy time for an election, the American results are sure to be shrouded in vagueness and mystery at least, potentially in deception and doubt, with no clear outcome. I’ve read this so many times, my wandering mind can’t resist speculating what that means. Nothing, may be the answer, of course.

"One very 'knowledgeable' source (not an astrologer, incidentally — the quotes are meant to qualify the veracity of the word) told me that in the upper environs of the Democratic Party, if the Dems take the Senate, the boys would like to make Hillary the Majority Speaker. This would take her out of the 'possible' running for the Presidency in 2008 and open up the field to someone else. The thought being that while Hillary is very strong in the Party she would not win the popular election because there are so many people out there who do not like her. That is the standard argument repeated ad nauseum. My source said that they did not believe that Hillary would accept the position of Majority Leader but if she did, she would be damned good because she is damned good. And smart."

Indded. More here (NYSocialDiary)