The Hidden Hillary Hypothesis

Back in 2005, Dick Morris’ provided us with a window into his obsessive hatred of Hillary Clinton in Condo vs. Hillary, the Next Great Presidential Race. To Morris, Hillary is more stubborn than W, more venal than Nixon, and maintains a political philosophy just to the left of Fidel. All appearances of moderation and sense are purely tactical; the necessary positioning for a presidential quest. Once reaching the pinnacle of political power, the real Hillary, the lurking Hillary, will spring forth.

Is this plausible? Would Clinton completely sublimate her views on everything for six years, in a place as important as the U.S. Senate, just to better angle for a not-so-certain run at the White House? It’s conventional wisdom on the right, which is why Hillary’s negatives are so high. And it's those negatives (I like her but she can't win) that have some Democratic primary voters spooked.

One way or another though, we’ll find out the truth in exactly two years. If Hillary runs and wins, then her true colors will show as President of the United States. And, if Hillary runs and loses either the nomination or the general election, then she’s unlikely to run again. Freed from the constraints of appealing to a nationwide audience, she can more freely pick her positions, needing only not to alienate a majority of New Yorkers. So, we’ll either see the raw leftist revealed, OR we’ll see largely the same person we see as Senator – smart, center-left and easy to work with.

And, we’ll finally learn whether this meme is for real, or one of the most oversold myths in American politics. Unless, that is, you think Hillary is just angling for 2012.