Centerfield

Very interesting. I'm looking through their site. Just want to point in the direction of an op-ed piece they link to that kind of gives an overview of her appeal:

The Next President Lincoln?

I've been impressed with her record, but personally feel she doesn't stand a chance. She has nothing close to the connections that one would need to raise the money that would be needed to compete. To be fair, Howard Dean did not either, but he employed a different strategy--firebrand politics. I don't see her doing that.

All of that aside, if Hillary Clinton dropped off the face of the earth and Joe Biden won the nomination, she could make an interesting VP pick.

She needs to spend some time as Governor. Despite what the article says, there are plenty of Democrats with gubernatorial experience. If she wants to have a chance, she needs to ignore the drafters and join their ranks.

And what's Hillary, a potted plant?

I think the two biggest questions for her are executive experience and foreign policy experience.

However, I'd just like to make the overall point that the most important thing is to find someone who's talented -- someone who is just a really good leader. We elect people with all kinds of backgrounds. What we'd like, more than anything, is someone who is smart, competent, level-headed, and likable.

On those factors, from what I've heard, she may very well be close to the top of the list in this field of candidates.

In addition to the difficulty experienced by Senators in presidential elections, the Democrats have an overweaning problem: no message.

The Dems have been completely skunked by the Repubs in expanding the size of "The Tent." They need to engage the Repubs in debate. That means they need to come up with something to say; and denying that SS is a problem (Reid) ain't it, saying Iraq is a quagmire (Kennedy) ain't it, visiting a Red State and getting snubbed by the Dem governor (Dean) ain't it.

Solve those problems, the leaders will emerge thereby.

Of course, if political trend lines continue, Lebanon is free of Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia reduce the Islamism in government, and Condi Rice is the 2008 Repub nominee (first black president, first woman president, both Republican) then the Dems are done.

I am disinclined to participate in an effort to draft anyone until we know who will enter the race of his or her own volition. Having multiple centrist candidates vying for a parties nomination will dilute centrist faction strength in the primary process. Moreover, as Wes Clark most recently demonstrated, voters like candidates with fire in the belly and the idea of the reluctant statesman drawn into the fray of presidential politics at the desperate plea of the masses doesn't win at the polls.

Totally agree with LR. The Dems need to set out a vision for the country and for the world. They seem terrified to do so. Even the liberals don't seem willing to state what they see for the country. Except, apparently, that it's still 1933 and everyone likes the New Deal.