Agreed, although I estimate his chances of securing the nomination, or the VP slot, at (to the sixth decimal) 0.000000.
But someone is going to be the Dem prez candidate in 2008. If Pataki has deluded himself into imagining he might be the Republican prez candidate, wouldn't he prefer to run against Hillary than against another, possibly stronger, opponent? So why would he want to knock her off in 2006?
I realize that this amounts to extreme, useless political speculation, buy hey!, we're political junkies here!
Who in the Dem camp come to mind when you speak of a "stronger opponent" for Pataki?