The Clintonator

If anyone doubted that Hillary Clinton is planning to run for President in 2008, check out this masterful toeing the line on the abortion debate:

Proposing new political language about abortion rights for the Democratic Party, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton said today that friends and foes on the issue should come together on "common ground" to reduce the number of "unwanted pregnancies" and ultimately abortions, which she called a "sad, even tragic choice to many, many women."

While she acknowledged in her address today that Americans have "deeply held differences" over abortion rights, Mrs. Clinton told the annual conference of the Family Planning Advocates of New York State, "I for one respect those who believe with all their heart and conscience that there are no circumstances under which abortion should be available."

First of all, that's the nicest thing anyone on the left has said about pro-lifers in years, and she said it while strong in her conviction in defending abortion rights. Very savvy. The Democrats are finally realizing that a full half of the country still opposes abortion (according to the most recent Gallup polling), and so they have to reach across the divide if they want to win elections again. Republicans learned this in reverse, allowing and promoting strong pro-choice candidates like Giuliani and Specter and Schwarzenegger in more liberal areas of the county. The Democrats over the last 10-15 years have taken the opposite, disastrous strategy of kicking out all pro-life and conservative members of their party, and then not understanding why they can't win in 80% of the states.

Want more evidence Hillary is thinking of 2008?

Mrs. Clinton also called today for the Bush administration, religious groups, supporters and opponents of abortion rights and others to look beyond the abortion rights divide and form a broad alliance on other issues that she suggested as less incendiary: sex-education programs for teenagers that included abstinence education, emergency contraception for women who have recently had unprotected intercourse, and family planning.

Mrs. Clinton knows she's despised by the hard-line political right and Limbaugh-listening crowd. Working side by side with Bush to reduce abortions, of all things, is a masterstroke.

I've generally believed Hillary wouldn't stand a chance in a Presidential election. A few more moves like that, however, and I won't be so sure.