Senator Big Dog

First, let me say that, for sure, if Bill Clinton were guaranteed the Senate seat held by to-be-elected Hillary Clinton, I would vote for Hillary in a heartbeat and full-throated endorse her right now:

WASHINGTON - It's the year 2009 and William Jefferson Clinton, the newest member of the Senate Fisheries subcommittee, is waiting, tray in hand, for the Senate cafeteria cashier to ring up his turkey burger, banana and Diet Coke.

The scenario may seem far-fetched (the Secret Service would probably be holding his tray), but Clinton would find himself in the Senate if some former aides have their druthers.

Two events would have to happen first: Hillary Rodham Clinton would have to be elected president and Gov. Eliot Spitzer would have to appoint the first husband as New York's junior senator.

"There was a period of time in Bill Clinton's life, during his Georgetown and Rhodes Scholar years, when he wanted to be the senator from Arkansas," said DePauw University journalism professor Ken Bode, a former national political correspondent for NBC.

"This wouldn't be the first time that the thought crossed Bill Clinton's mind - if it's really crossed his mind" recently.

Senator Bill Clinton...has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

This would accomplish a myriad of good things for Democrats and the middle class. First, it would give Hillary a presence in the Senate chamber that no other President has ever had, and therefore an outsize influence to work with a Hillary Clinton administration.

Second, it would put Bill Clinton, the Big Dog, back in the game, something America sorely needs after two administrations of, well, complete and utter miserable failure. We need a diplomat and coalition builder, particularly as Hillary is seen as such a polarizing figure.

Third, well, let's just say that the deeply neo-conservative right has taken a fresh look at the Clinton presidency and realized they may have been a little hasty in judging it so harshly...I mean, when the co-publisher of Newsmax.com (funded by vile anti-liberal Richard Mellon Scaife) calls the Clinton years "not bad", you have to assume there's a motive behind it all.

Or perhaps they just see the handwriting on the wall that Hillary is unstoppable. This is an interesting news day for the Clintons, to be sure.

Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, 2008 presidential election, New York, Senate