We seem to be building a consensus here. And that consensus has some support elsewhere even from Hillary herself:
In an interview to air at 8pm tonight on PBS's Tavis Smiley Reports, Hillary Clinton tells Smiley she does not envision serving as Secretary of State for a second term. She also tells Smiley she is "absolutely not interested" in another presidential run:
TAVIS SMILEY: Finally, theres already speculation about whether or not Secretary Clinton is going to do this for the full first time, and whether or not she has any interest if asked to stay on to do it for eight years? You see how tough the job is, can you imagine yourself doing all four years and, if asked, doing it for another four years?
HILLARY CLINTON: No, I really cant. I mean, it is just
TAVIS SMILEY: No to what? All four or eight?
HILLARY CLINTON: The whole, the whole eight, I mean, that that would be very challenging. But I, you know, I don't wanna make any predictions sitting here, Im honored to serve, I serve at the pleasure of the President, but its a, its a 24/7 job, and I think at some point, I will be very happy to LAUGHS pass it on to someone else.
More here:
Clinton signals not a two-term Secretary of State - Laura Rozen - POLITICO.com
But there are some analysts out there who think she will:
From Dennis Mansfield (and note Morris's column that he links.)
I believe that President Obama's performance ratings will so sour the Democratic Party that he will make Jimmy Carter's Presidency look like it was historic and strong.
Simply put, it's been 32 years since a sitting President was challenged by a member of his own party. Carter beat Kennedy in August of 1980.
Carter then lost to Reagan in November of 1980.
Democratic Party members who have an institutional memory remember that fact.
And they will not forget it in 2012.
Hillary Clinton is in an unusually strong position to run and win.
For my money, the stars may well align themselves for just such a run and nomination win.
President Obama will be a victim of his own motto: "Change".
PS: Here's what Dick Morris also had to say about it in Townhall.com. Good reasoning, too...
DennisMansfield.com: Hillary Clinton WILL run for President in 2012...bet me!
Whatever one thinks about Dick Morris personally, he was the one who singlehandedly orchestrated the Bill Clinton image in the Presidency and in so doing got to know both Bill and Hillary very very well. His political instincts sometimes miss the mark but his perceptions rarely do.
Foxfyre, I am a 100% in agreement with you.