I would adopt hubby's strategy and split the opposition's vote using some west-coast or sunbelt RINO like McCain, running as an independent like Perot or Anderson.
Someone like McCain is doubly dangerous, since a third-party McCain ticket would split the male vote as well as the Republican vote, while tending to corral the female vote for Hillary.
If I were a Republican strategist, I would counter this move by nominating someone like Rice for the top Republican candidate slot. Rice would steal the feminist thunder and attract minorities, without substantially diluting the conservative male vote (IOW, an ideal, or near-ideal, Republican headliner for the 2008 ticket). A third party McCain candidacy would then probably fold under the pressure of being perceived as just another old white guy being squeezed by two women candidates on either end of the political spectrum. (With apologies to toe-suckers everywhere!)
This scenario would be enhanced by Cheney taking early leave of the V.P. for medical reasons and being replaced by Rice sometime (say) in early 2006.
If I were Hillary [ugh]...
I would adopt hubby's strategy and split the opposition's vote using some west-coast or sunbelt RINO like McCain, running as an independent like Perot or Anderson.
Someone like McCain is doubly dangerous, since a third-party McCain ticket would split the male vote as well as the Republican vote, while tending to corral the female vote for Hillary.
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Forget it, McCain runs as top billing in '08 or not at all. He didn't spend 7 years in VC POW camp to play second fiddle to an ugly left-wing oilcan like Hillary. McCain will be a Bob Dole by '08, without the humor and likability. The fact is that Rice in '08 is pretty much a slam dunk if we can get a Southern good old boy on the ticket with her. Too bad Frist probably wouldn't bite- he's be a perfect Milquetoast type choice, a boring white dude who never steps in s$it, is an MD, etc. A Rice/Frist ticket would really be something. Better yet, Rice/ Zell Miller, if he's still alive.
The problem with this strategy for Hillary is that McCain would beat her hands down. I wouldn't want McCain, or any other RINO to win the 2008 election, but for a strategy to be viable for the Beast, it would have to allow the beast to win.
Although if those were my choices, I'd take McCain and learn to live with it. To me it wouldn't be the lesser of two evils. It would be one evil, and one choice that could be so much better if he ever decided to be a 24/7 Republican.
There are not many people that could fill that bill and it's certain that McCain won't do it. Splitting the party would work for her but it's more easily said than done.