Update: Condi vs Hillary…for President? Oh Boy!

A measure of the partisan antipathy towards Hillary Clinton is the fact that a bombastic anti-Hillary book – by disaffected Bill Clinton political Svengali Dick Morris – is selling like the second printing of a Harry Potter novel. The book Condi vs Hillary: The Next Great Presidential Race offers reliable (if not intimate) insights into the political machinations of (and gossip about) Hillary and her Machiavellian prince of a husband Bill Clinton.

It is an open secret in political circles that the Clintons are planning to consummate their 33-year political marriage by getting her elected president of the United States. But, given that he was the third wheel in their courtship for over 25 years, Morris’ indignation at the Clintons’ marital ambitions smacks of rank hypocrisy. Moreover, he undermines his clever political analyses by positing the absurd notion that electing Hillary would portend the end of the American republic; And, that the only way to prevent this apotheosis of the anti-Christ is by drafting Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice to challenge Hillary in 2008.

Admittedly, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s political ambitions seem every bit as immoral and insatiable as Bill Clinton’s sexual pursuits. Indeed, she exudes an aura of entitlement when it comes to elective office.

But, despite his almost blinding animus towards (and jealousy of) her, Morris has found the Achilles heel that allows him to rain on Hillary’s parade to the White House. And, ironically, his reason for gloating in this respect stems from the one political constituency that the Clintons have always taken for granted: the black vote.

According to Morris, a number of prominent black Americans – including former Clinton Cabinet Secretary Mike Espy – confided that at least 50% of blacks will vote for Condi – “with their hearts, not their heads.” And, I have no doubt that this is true. In fact, I wrote as much in this article (over 6 months ago), which Morris might have found quite helpful in rushing his book to press. (No, I shan’t be claiming any royalties.)

But in my draft Condi article, I presented her as a dream candidate; not as a desperate foil against a diabolical Hillary. And even though she insists that, unlike Hillary, she harbours no presidential ambition, I suspect Condi is acutely aware that her Shermanesque denials only make her a more desirable prospect.

Moreover, given the spectre of criminal indictments (from the CIA leak investigation) hovering over V.P. Cheney and his cabal of neo-con cohorts, there’s growing speculation that President Bush might render her protestations moot by replacing Cheney with Condi as his Vice President in due course. This, of course, would be an offer Condi could not refuse; and, it would certainly guarantee her an easy ride to the Republican nomination.

However, some pundits speculate that since his nomination of Harriet Miers has angered so many of his ardent (Christian fundamentalist) supporters, Bush’s appointment of Rice as VP might, in fact, be the kiss of death. But when push comes to shove, I think the visceral hatred these members of the vast right-wing have for Hillary will fuel their support for Condi in 2008 (despite her race, incidentally).

Note: It’s worth bearing in mind that if 50% of blacks cross Party lines to vote for Condi, that could impact the final vote by 5 to 10%. And, given the 2004 presidential election results (George Bush 50.7% to John Kerry’s 48.3%), this modest shift could prove decisive in Condi’s favour.

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