Not that I want to start looking ahead but, if/when George Bush wins, will he "take this opportunity to extend a hand across the aisle" and try to "heal the partisan bitterness"?
Will the Republican-controlled Senate continue to be donkey-punched day after day by the Democrat minority through their stonewalling and mock-filibustering of judicial nominees?
What would YOU want them to do?
If Bush and the Republicans push hard to the right, Hillary will spend the next two years living in the center of the Senate, building up a facade of "moderate" votes and after 2006, will begin her final run for the Presidency as a "fresh alternative" to eight years of far-rightwing domination in the Presidency and Congress. As bad as Kerry is - the fact that he can muster 45-48% of the vote as "The Most Liberal Senator" tells me Hillary (with six years of "moderate" Senate votes behind her) will be a VERY formidible opponent for any Republican newbie hoping to take over in 2008.
IMO, the more Bush & the Reps go HARD right - the more it helps Hillary in 2008 because the country will be ready for a "moderate" (even a phoney one) .