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With the filing deadlines for key primaries looming in December, decision time was upon her. Hillary called together the innermost members of her inner circle for one final meeting at the Clinton home in Chappaqua, in the Westchester County suburbs of New York. Around the table were her husband; their daughter, Chelsea, and Chelsea’s boyfriend; Williams and Solis Doyle; and two Clinton White House stalwarts to whom Hillary was close: Evelyn Lieberman the sharp-eyes former deputy chief of staff famous for having banished Lewinsky from the West Wing to the Pentagon, and Cheryl Mills, the diamond hard lawyer who had defended Bill in his impeachment trial.

One by one, Hillary polled the group, listening carefully to what each of them had to say. These were the people whose opinions whose opinions whose opinions meant the most to her. Solis Doyle and Williams were in favor, as they had been all along. Lieberman and Mills were down with the program, too.

And so was Bill. He had no doubts that Hillary would make a better president than anyone who was running. Just as important, he was sure that she could win. After the hearing the supportive words of her husband, she turned to face of her 23 year old daughter Chelsea to see what she had to say in that matter.

“Well I’ve been mulling it over, and I don’t think Kerry or Edwards are strong enough to duke it out with Bush and Rove. And although something is going to have to be done about the New Yorkers you pledged to serve a full six years to…I think at this point you have to seize the moment and go for it mom.” Chelsea said with a wide Clintonian smile.

Although she had tried to convince herself otherwise, her daughter reaffirmed her conviction. After months of weighing the pros and cons, gaming out the decision from every angle she decided it was her time. This was her Bobby Kennedy moment-in which a terrible war, a torn electorate, and a president who had squandered his chance to unify the nation presented a historic opportunity. Fuck the Pledge; she would just have to do a long bus tour across the Empire State to get the voters to release her to the nation stage. Hell, Bill did the same in Arkansas 1992 citing the poor economic situation of the country as his reasoning. Hillary knew that the anti-Clinton chorus and their amen corner in the press that would be waiting, mouths salivating, to great her when she announced her last minute campaign. The Senator could hear it now: ambitious bitch, there she goes again, dissembling, scheming shimmying up the greasy pole with no regard of principle.

But the most important thing was she was just the bitch ruthless enough to take the bastards on.

“All right, with everyone agreed…let’s suit up.” Hillary said.

From: Welcome Back: the Clintons and Edwards, Bush and Cheney, and a story of Sex and History, by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin

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On the final day before the Senate recessed for the Winter Holidays, a legion of reporter’s patiently waited for the arrival of the junior Senator of New York. They had been tipped off by Patti Doyle, that Hillary had planned to make a major announcement regarding her entrance into the 2004 Democratic Primaries. The campaigns of; former Governor Howard Dean of Vermont, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, 2000 VP Nominee/Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and the Reverend Al Sharpton of New York…had all held their respective breaths during the majority of 2003 for the fear that the former First Lady might throw her hat in the ring.

Clad in a claret-colored jack over a black blouse, as she wore heels to give voters that she was actually taller than she really was…the 56 year old native Chicagoan walked to a lone podium in the hallowed halls of the Senate. Many of the press had talked about, how the moment possessed striking similarities to the March 16th 1968 announcement of another New York Senator’s entry into a presidential race. In the speech, the allusions to the assassinated Bobby Kennedy brought those similarities home.

“I am today announcing my candidacy for the presidency of the United States.

I do not run for the presidency merely to oppose any man but to propose new policies. I run because I am convinced that this country is on a perilous course and because I have such strong feelings about what must be done, and I feel that I'm obliged to do all that I can.

Those new policies which I will push for as President will be those issues which I have fought for almost all my life. I've fought for children for more than 30 years. In Arkansas, I pushed for education reform. As First Lady, I helped to expand health care coverage to millions of children and to pass legislation that dramatically increased adoptions. I also traveled to China to affirm that women's rights are human rights.

And in the Senate, I have worked across party lines to get billions more for children's health care, to stop the president's plan to privatize Social Security, and to make sure the victims and heroes of 9/11 and our men and women in uniform receive the fair treatment they deserve. I also promise to bring about a true Mission accomplished in this War in Iraq, so are Children may come home not only to those who love them but to also receive a first rate education much like my father before me.

I have spent a lifetime opening opportunities for tens of millions who are working hard to raise a family: new immigrants, families living in poverty, people who have no health care or face an uncertain retirement.

The promise of America is that all of us will have access to opportunity, and I want to run a 2004 campaign that renews that promise, a campaign built on a lifetime record of results. As we campaign to win the White House, we will make history and remake our future. We can only break barriers if we dare to confront them, and if we have the determined and committed support of others.

This campaign is our moment, our chance to stand up for the principles and values that we cherish; to bring new ideas, energy, and leadership to a uniquely challenging time. It's our chance to say "we can" and "we will."

Let's go to work. America's future is calling us.”

From: Bush vs. Clinton 2.0, by Paul Begala

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