It’s the question Democrats can no longer ignore: Who will replace Hillary Clinton?
Martin O’Malley? Toast. Joe Biden? A punch line. Elizabeth Warren? Not ready. Bernie Sanders? Seriously?
“We don’t have a backup,” one top Massachusetts Democrat lamented.
This is not the scenario Democrats really want, but may have to accept if the Clinton campaign continues its death spiral over her family foundation’s shady ties to foreign nations. Even Bill Clinton’s been called in for cleanup, but saying you’ve done nothing “knowingly” wrong isn’t helping.
Kerry has plenty of weaknesses, but most of them were already exposed in his 2004 campaign and he still almost won. No other Democrat can say that. He’s the safest bet as a Clinton alternative.
Sources close to Kerry say his only focus now is on diplomacy as U.S. secretary of state — a job he’s always coveted. But it’s his second-most coveted job. The first is president of the United States.
“I can’t see Kerry resigning,” one source close to Kerry’s operation said, adding that it’s highly unlikely the former Massachusetts senator would challenge Clinton.
But if Clinton is forced to abandon her campaign, all bets are off. Democratic leaders will have to confront the fact that they need to draft someone else to run.
Even now, with the Clinton Foundation furor just percolating, Democrats are lukewarm at best about the former first lady, even in what should be one of her strongest states, Massachusetts.
Clinton has no organization here, and hasn’t really reached out to potential supporters and donors, according to veteran Democrats. And when she does, she might be surprised at the lack of enthusiasm.
Clinton right now is like your in-laws — you don’t really love her but you’re stuck with her.
“On the surface it appears everyone’s with Hillary, but I don’t think that’s the case,” said one influential Massachusetts Democrat.
But unless Warren runs, there’s no one else for Democrats to hook up with.
People love Joe Biden but few believe he’s presidential enough to win, thanks to his never-ending series of gaffes and pratfalls.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is the anti-Biden, someone whose abrasive personality has not won him a lot of friends in the party and would turn off many voters. California Gov. Jerry Brown has run for president twice before and he’s proved to be resilient, but to many voters he’s still “Governor Moonbeam” ruling over the Moonbats in California.
That leaves Kerry, ready to serve if called. And if Hillary’s ready to quit, Kerry might just get that call.
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