Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Will The Clintons Undercut Obama?

The US Presidency is a unique job with unique benefits. True, it does not pay all that well but ex-presidents are all wealthy. They are wealthier than say, former governors of southern states. And the perks! Oh my.

A few years back, circa 2007, Dick Morris estimated the White House perks to be worth $50 million/year. That was before the Obamas brought their lavish lifestyle to DC. Following the Obamas lead, a future president could enjoy a benefits package well into nine figures per year.

The Clintons love to be pampered. They could get used to the comforts of a post-Obama presidency. And yes, they would enjoy the limelight once more.

The Clintons and Obamas have never patched their fences. The two camps hate each other. Obama's feelings (as well as his legacy) will probably not serve as a roadblock to the White House. The Clintons are not hungry in the rice and beans sense of the term. But they are hungry in a champagne and caviar sort of way. Be careful underestimating the power of that drive.

So if you were Hillary Clinton who would you rather face in a 2016 Primary? An incumbent vice president who was carrying on his party's legacy or an incumbent president who rose to his status as a result of a series of horrible scandals that tarnished the entire administration? If I were managing her campaign I would rather face President Biden instead of Vice President Biden.

Of course it will be hard for Hillary to extricate herself from the Benghazi wreckage. Not everyone will walk away unscathed but Hillary might just survive the blowback. She is a Clinton after all.

There is no love lost between Bill and Barack. If The ex-president could kneecap the current president without getting some dust on his wife, he would gladly do so. This is a rivalry well worth monitoring.

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