That's my prediction and I'm sticking to it.

Like a shark exists to feed, Hillary exists to obtain power. Nothing else matters to her. She wants to be President in '12 and will not wait for '16.

So the best thing she can do is stay a senator and try to undermine Obama at every turn, then step in and try to lead the country and Democrats herself. Or, if he is successful, get in front of the legislative parade and put the "Hillary" brand on every reform.

Being part of Obama's cabinet would just tie her to his success or failure. If he succeeded, he'd be a shoe-in for '12. If he failed, she would be seen as part of the failure. Putting her destiny into the hands of a charismatic man and hoping to ride his coattails would, of course, be classically Hillarian, but I have a feeling she's "found her voice." Sniff.

EarlyBird:

That's my prediction and I'm sticking to it.

Like a shark exists to feed, Hillary exists to obtain power. Nothing else matters to her. She wants to be President in '12 and will not wait for '16.

So the best thing she can do is stay a senator and try to undermine Obama at every turn, then step in and try to lead the country and Democrats herself. Or, if he is successful, get in front of the legislative parade and put the "Hillary" brand on every reform.

Being part of Obama's cabinet would just tie her to his success or failure. If he succeeded, he'd be a shoe-in for '12. If he failed, she would be seen as part of the failure. Putting her destiny into the hands of a charismatic man and hoping to ride his coattails would, of course, be classically Hillarian, but I have a feeling she's "found her voice." Sniff.

I think it makes more political sense for Hillary to stay in the Seante than become part of Obama's cabinet but what good would it do to undermine Obama? If he and the Seante fail to do anything meaningful it's likely the electorate will try the other party so even if Hillary could successfully run against an incumbent president she would likely lose in the general anyway.

Will she take credit for some programs though? I think she might and I think Obama might be willing to let her have partial credit at least if it means geting things done.

On every single bill that passes. He'll do this to help force the party to unify, and help the party expand or hold in 2010.

In 2012, if things are going well, Obama and the democrats will be seen as the force that saved America from the ruinous incompetence that the GOP showed when it had power. If Obama shares credit with the dems on the hill and America recovers relatively quickly from this economic catastrophe, the GOP will basically remain out of power until at least 2020.

I think you're right about the senate being Hillary's better play. I don't think she is the best pick for SecState, and she will be criticized (rightly) as NOT being the best pick. Obama's going to have to be pretty careful with his political capital, and choosing Hillary would spend a little of that capital for no discernable gain.

Yes, I think staying in the Senate - certainly not an unimportant position - would give Hillary far more options and room for maneuver for another presidential run.

New presidents are notoriously pushed around in the first couple of years in office, especially younger ones who haven't had enough time to build alliances which can help them. Clinton, being an outsider, was famously pushed around, as were Carter and JFK. JFK in fact chose LBJ to a great degree because LBJ was the "master of the Senate," an SOB who could twist arms and get things done. I am sure that's why Obama smartly chose Rahm Emanuel.

Hillary will push around Obama, try to show him who runs things. She will try to undermine his agenda and replace it with her own. She'll try to put him in a situation where she can say, "See, I told you so!," trying to show the Democratic Party that she was the right one after all.

More likely we should expect a combination of all the above. There is absolutely no value, no agenda which is above her obtaining power. Not personal loyalty, patriotism, basic decency. Everything she will do over the next four years will be in order to best set her up to become president in '12.

I agree with all the above. I think if Obama is floating the idea that he's interested in Hillary (and I am sure that this is an intentional rumor; he doesn't have "leaks") he's doing it for strategic purposes, perhaps to try to make her feel good, or her past supporters feel good. Or, to genuinely get her to consider becoming a cabinet member so that he co-opts her and keeps her out of the Senate where she would create trouble for him.

I think Obama really, really dislikes the Clintons, and I think the Clintons really, really dislikes Obama. Its because 1.) Obama kept her from her coronation and; 2.) he became president not only without the help of the Clintons, but made a point of not asking for it.

Hillary is a smart and she should be glad she still has a job...........

Lay low girl and just watch the fireworks.

Early, I certainly think there's an element of "Keep your enemies closer" about rumors of a Hillary cabinet post, and you are right to identify the Clinton "will to power," but Hillary would be a fool to undermine Obama, and I don't think she's a fool. It sounds like you're describing kind of a Jimmy Carter vs. Congress scenario, but Obama is definitely not Carter.

She's way too smart to try to undermine Obama publically. But new presidents, especially young and inexperienced ones, are famously pushed around by congress, including members of their own party. Politicians are politicians after all, and they're in it for themselves, not their party leader, president, or anyone else.

That especially goes for Hillary, who almost made the nomination. That's got to really hurt her. For the Clintons (I don't dare really consider Hilly separate from Billy), their power is Job #1. I believe Hillary and Billy Boy are very bitter that Obama derailed her annointment and they have deep personal animosity for him. Being pathological narcissists (especially Golden Billy), they are offended that Obama didn't reach out to them until very late in the race, only grudgingly as a way to show "party unity" and keep her supporters happy.

I would expect that if he had his druthers, Obama would keep the Clintons away like the plague.