In a situation where neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama ran for president in 2008, what happens in the Democratic primaries, and then in the general election, and beyond?
Let’s say that HRC doesn’t run for the Senate in 2000 — decides against it for personal reasons, or maybe a high profile NY Democrat steps into the race before they decide to do their Hail Mary pass. What does she do then?
Maybe Obama loses the Democratic senate primary in Illinois, or just doesn’t run.
In any case, imagine a 2008 where neither of them are in high enough office to be considered for president.
If they’re out, Gore runs, right? He’s the highest profile eligible Democrat in 2008, has the Nobel Prize, the hit movie, and the anti-Bush buyer’s remorse factor. So he’s gotta be the frontrunner if he steps in.
But as OTL 2008 showed, being the frontrunner doesn’t always translate to victory. Who is a plausible underdog to upset Gore? The ticking time bomb that is John Edwards will run again, and will presumably improve on his OTL numbers. Could Howard Dean and even John Kerry dip their toes back in the water?
And what about an unexpected dark horse?
Go nuts, folks.