Have ya' heard the word?
The rumor mill is spinning that Hillary Clinton may now have a tough competitor in the Democrat Primary. "Who?" you ask. Well, none other than her husband's veepee. "I'm a recovering politician," Al Gore told Atlanta Progressive News, "You always have to worry about a relapse." Media speculates his comeback as well as the movers and shakers in the blogospheres delight over such fodder.
How should the Republicans respond? Well, I've always said the worst move for Hillary would be to have Rudy Giuliani run against her for her Senate seat. Rudy has a good shot at beating her; at least a better shot at the Senate than the Oval Office. Rudy vs. Hillary could potentially be an extremely exhausting race for Hillary--knocking some wind out of her sail. The Republicans' second best scenario would be a Gore vs. Hillary primary. Gore will dip into some of Clinton supporters pockets, but to what extent is uncertain. The only other Democrat to compete would be Barack Obama from Illinois. However, he's kept so quiet that a serious run is doubtful, but here's a guy that can motivate and excite. One other honorable mention would be Evan Bayh from Indiana, but he's already proven himself incapable.
While we're on the topic. Who will be the serious contenders for the Republicans? John McCain of course. If his health stays strong, he'll be tough to beat. The only person who has the support to beat him at this point is George Allen. Many would argue for Giuliani, but he, like McCain, is a social liberal. In other words, he's too much like McCain without any national leadership.
The stage is getting set for another exciting year and a half of national politics.
