Hillary Clinton's Secret Plan for 2012?

As the Democratic primaries draw to an end, so does speculation about what the loser will do and who they will or will not support in the general election.  “Rook” has some thoughts on how this may play out if Hillary Clinton loses the primary.

“Some of the more experienced political pundits are saying privately that Hillary feels she would be better off with a one term McCain presidency than a two term Obama. She can come back after it in four years, since McCain is too old to do two terms. And she hates Obama for stealing her big chance.

If they’re right, and if she doesn’t swing the super-delegates at the convention, then she may refuse to endorse Obama and might even support McCain behind the scenes. She obviously doesn’t care about the party and nothing else matters to her except getting into the white house.

Food for thought…”

Questions:

Will Hillary refuse to endorse Obama if he is nominated?

If the Democrats lose in December, which of them would challenge McCain in 2012?

Comments

[JM]

If Hillary loses to Obama, she is obligated to support the nominee. It she doesn't support Obama, she loses the support of the party.

[90240]

Hillary can't endorse Obama without ruining her own credibility, or what she has left of it. She has already stated publicly and to the media that she and McCain are the ONLY QUALIFIED candidates. I can see her endorsing McCain before Obama.
If the Democrats lose in November it won't be McCain they face in 2012; he'll be too old to run again. It will probably be Condoleeza Rice in for the Republicans in 2012 no matter who wins this time.

[Veritas]

Hillary Clinton's her eyes set on the prize and will not cease her efforts until she either seizes the prize or it becomes unmistakably clear that she is not going to become President the United States.

She will give token support to Senator Barack Obama in his bid to become President. She will not sabotage Senator Obama in his bid for the White House. Do, however, expect her to plead extreme fatigue after a lengthy campaign and an urgent need to assume her duties in the United States Senate.

If Senator Obama fails in his bid for election, Hillary Clinton will remind the power structure o the Democratic party that she was, and is, a stronger candidate tan Senator Obama. Under those circumstances she will be the nominee of the Democratic party in 2012. She does, however, have a lot of kissing and making up to do with the party power structure. Both Hillary and her husband have offended many of the movers and shakers during her current effort to secure the nomination.

[98101]

Doubtful Clinton will overtly snub endorsing Obama. There will be at least tacit support. Her confidants Terry McAuliffe and James Carville are too shrewd to allow her to do something that would do irreparable damage such as a direct snub. Aside from ruining any future presidential hopes a snub would severely damage her already waning place in the Senate.

If Obama loses the general election he’ll be back. He’s unlike the one-time losing candidates we’ve seen following Stevenson. He’ll be like the early and mid-twentieth century perpetual losing candidates Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas. Supporters of Debs and Thomas were not unlike many of Obama’s supporters. Unfortunately there are many more today.

Look for both Clinton and Obama to actively start campaigning in 2010 if McCain wins in 2008.

[Rook]

As has been said already, Clinton has stated publicly that Obama is not qualified to be president. How could she now endorse him without also saying she lied? Hillary will do what is best for Hillary, party be damned!

[Ernie]

Hillary will passively support the Muslim guy, Hussein Obama. The bigger question is, will her supporters? Or turn it around. Would his supporters support her? I doubt it. They'll hate her. That's what McCain's counting on. If McCain wins, it won't be Hillary in 2012. I'm guessing Harold Ford, Jr.

[Professor Dr. Stanley Collymore]

I'm very much of the opinion that Hillary Clinton is interested only in herself. She knows that the nomination will go to Barack Obama who has played by the rules all along. Her failure to get that nomination stems largely from her arrogant assumption that she was the automatic presumptive Democrat nominee and the country's 2008 annointed president. The voters thought otherwise. So what she and husband Bill will do, and it can be seen in her campaign particularly in its latter stages, is to do all she can to ruin Barack's chances so she can have a clear run in 2012.
If the Democratic hierachy allows this then the Democratic Party deserves to be eclipsed by the Republicans. And if I were an African-American I would consider transferring my allegience to the Republican Party. And I would begin this process by ensuring that Hillary Clinton was voted out of the senate when next she comes up for re-election in New York.
It disgusts me that anyone can be so selfish and arrogant.

Professor. Dr. Stanley Collymore