One Democratic source tells me that Hillary Clinton's camp has sent a clear message to former Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Md.): Challenge her for the Democratic presidential nomination and you're dead to us. Another source says that the Clinton crew has sent a different clear message to O'Malley: Feel free to take her on in the primaries; she could use the competition. I don't know which source is correct. Perhaps both are, for Hillaryland may well be populated by advisers and strategists with different takes on this question. But it does seem clear that Clinton, who finally jumped into the 2016 race with a tweet and video splash on Sunday, could benefit if she is challenged in her party's primaries by O'Malley or someone else.
There's about nine months to come before the first voting occurs in the Iowa caucuses -- and 19 months until the general election. That's a long time. Clinton, who is hardly a fresh face, will find it tough not to appear stale to some voters during that stretch. She is already at a super-saturation level of media coverage. There are endless tweets, blog posts, and articles about every aspect of her campaign. All her moves -- her logo! -- receive inordinate press attention. Though she and her aides insist this race is not about her -- it's about everyday Americans and how to improve their lot -- the campaign is likely to be much ado about Clinton: how she campaigns, what she says, what's her vision, where she goes, how she's performing, what's her strategy, what's up with her husband, her connection with voters, her trustworthiness, her likability, and so on. Her every utterance and move will be dissected everywhere -- again and again. (And the various dissections will be dissected.) On the Republican side, all the 2016 wannabes will be directing attention at her, as they each angle to be seen as the candidate best able to obliterate Clinton. Sure, the GOPers will eventually form a circular firing squad -- they won't be able to resist the urge to attack one another -- but they will direct many shots at Clinton. The around-the-clock Hillary Bashathon will never end.
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