Now that the Hillary Clinton campaign has put the best possible face on its government-in-exile phase, the Obamanians need to make certain they don’t overcompensate Hillary and the legions for whom she’s the Joan of Arc of American gender politics. Some advice:
1) Do not put this Faustian feminist on the ticket. Obama and his change-agent appeal will immediately implode. Look no further than Senators Joe Biden (Del.) and Jim Webb (Va.) or Governors Bill Richardson (N.M.) and Ed Rendell (Pa.) for a veepstakes winner.
2) Do not pick another female, even the well-regarded Kathleen Sebelius, the governor of Kansas. The emotions will eventually abate for Hillary’s Hoydens and there’s nowhere else for them to go if they don’t want to run the risk of unwelcome Roe v. Wade/Supreme Court-nominee scenarios under a President John McCain. Choosing another female won’t be perceived as a consolation prize — but an outrageous, personal affront.
3) Do not make a deal to help Clinton pay off campaign debt. She strategically sacked herself early and then fought on to the Democratic Party’s detriment when the math was inexorable. She can pay off the debt by writing another book: “How I Lost the Nomination I Was Entitled To.”