Uncle Karl sets his sights on Shillary. Is he obsessed?

Via Pam's House Blend, we find the generally odious Drudge Report crowing that Bush and Rove are already in full 2008 campaign mode in support of whoever the GOP nominates and preparing to slap Sen. Hillary Clinton. (D - NY)

President Bush and his top strategist, Karl Rove, say Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will be tough to beat in the Democratic presidential primaries of 2008 -- but not in the general election!

Rove is quoted on the-record and is unleashed on Hillary:

There is a “brittleness about her” that could prove a weakness in November 2008.

But Rove added that the “hard-driving” Clinton will easily vanquish Democratic primary rivals like New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, who are merely “preening for the vice presidential slot.”

Here in New York, we found out last year exactly how keen Rove's interest in Clinton has become. During the short, ill-fated candidacy of Jeanine Pirro for Hillary's Senate seat (now withdrawn to run for Attorney General instead) Rove was giving advice and help to the Pirro team. That, along with some high profile endorsements here at home should have given Pirro a big leg up in her fight against Hillary, but she still managed to implode.

No doubt, Karl will be in the corner of whoever the Republicans finally settle on to run. I am forced to choke down some bile and agree with Rove on this one, though. I no longer think Hillary could win and the Democrats would be insane to put her up as their 2008 candidate. There's still too much lingering, rabid hatred of All Things Clinton among Republicans, which would really energize them to bring out the vote, and Clinton has alienated so much of the base in recent months that she could probably manage to get Democratic and independent voters to stay home in droves come election day.

I don't know who the Dems should run in 2008 at this point, but I don't think it's Hillary's time.

Incidentally, particularly for anyone in New York, there is an alternative to Hillary Clinton in the 2006 Senate Democratic primary. His name is Steve Greenfield, and you can check him out (and even send him a few bucks to help out) at his website.

Are you troubled by the notion that a Democrat who favors the war in Iraq, is moving for an invasion of Iran, favors the USA PATRIOT act, favors expanding nuclear power and weapons development, favors the death penalty, favors corporate welfare, boasts of having cosponsored more Republican initiatives than any first-term Democrat Senator in history, has formed PAC's with right-wing Republicans Newt Gingrich and Lindsey Graham, and who represents a state where upwards of 80% of the registered Democrats are opposed to her positions was expected to run unopposed in her primary race next year? Is this democracy?

Are you troubled that Hillary Clinton is promising, if reelected, to spend the first two years of her next term being a part-time legislator and full-time Presidential primary candidate, and if successful in her pursuits, will abandon her elected post and be replaced by an appointed substitute, even raising the possibility that a Republican New York Governor will name that replacement? Should New Yorkers vote for an "empty seat" so Hillary Clinton may pursue higher ambitions? Is this democracy?

No, it's not.

Preach it, Brother Greenfield. Preach it on.