What Does Hillary Want?

"Beware the Ides of March"


The announcement that Hillary Clinton will "suspend" her presidential campaign Saturday and endorse Barack Obama has still left questions unanswered.

For example, will she hold onto her delegates until the convention? If so, for what purpose? So that the 18 million people who voted for her will be treated with respect (as she stated in New York)? I don't think so. So that she will have leverage for her favorite issues, such as universal health care? I don't think so. Is it because she really wants to be on the ticket as VP? Again, I don't think so even though it appears that her camp is making a strong-arm push to have Obama offer her the spot. (Obama would be crazy to offer her the spot. Not only would he have to deal with both Clintons during the campaign-and in the White House, he would appear weak if he allowed himself to be pressured into giving her the nod.)

I suspect there is something else going on in the dark recesses of Hillary's mind. There is still a lot of angst going on in Democratic circles about Obama's candidacy in the wake of Jeremiah Wright, Michael Pfleger, William Ayres and Tony Rezko, the latter just being convicted in federal court of racketeering charges. The Clintons have to be thinking that another bombshell could doom Obama's chances of victory in November once and for all. What if Rezko decides to make a deal with the government (a prospect that already has Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich sweating). If Obama has any bodies buried in his backyard, Rezko would know where they are. The fact is that with Obama, God only knows what could happen between now and the convention-or now and November.

Could it be that Hillary's strategy is to simply wait in the wings? After all, the primaries are over. There is no need to make any more trips or any more speeches. There isn't really anything for her or her campaign workers to do.

Except wait.

Remember in 2002, when Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) quit his Senate race in the late stages because of corruption allegations and was replaced by Frank Lautenberg-who went on to win? I'll bet the Clintons remember. Who says that new bombshells couldn't explode between now and November? Perhaps, that is why Hillary is "open" to a spot on the ticket.

Whatever the considerations being tossed about in Clintonland, we can be sure of one thing: It's all about Bill and Hillary. Because, in the final analysis, Hillary Clinton wants one thing that has not changed.

She wants to be president.