The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

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br> Radio talk-show host James Dobson 's decision to endorse former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is seen as his attempt to inject himself into vice-presidential king-making, and if not that, then establish himself as the new leader of the social conservative movement heading into the next election cycle. /p>

"Dobson doesn't believe we can win in 2008 with John McCain, but he thinks he can be the big winner in 2008 by if not putting his guy on the bottom of the ticket, then gaining credibility as the voice of the evangelical and social conservative movement moving forward," says a longtime, activist member of Dobson's Focus on the Family organization. "Either way, the big winner is Dobson."

Dobson was poised to endorse Huckabee earlier in the primary season, but leaks about the planned endorsement scuttled the plans, in part because just about every other major social conservative had made the decision to sit out the early primary process.

p> SHE DID IT HER WAY br> Last week, in a private meeting with longtime supporters of her and her husband -- including many former senior members of the Clinton Administration -- Sen. Hillary Clinton insisted that, "this is not a reboot of 1992," according to an attendee of the meeting. /p>

"She made it clear that she was happy to see so many friendly faces, but also made it clear that she knows she can't afford to be tied to Bill's Administration and history," says the attendee. "She made the point, though, that she also understood that if it weren't for her husband and his leadership, Barack Obama would not be in the position that he is in today. If that's going to be her message going forward, we're in trouble."

According to campaign insiders, Clinton and her senior team are mulling whether or not they require some kind of dramatic action to change up the narrative of her campaign going forward. "There's a real division over what to do," says one adviser. "Some think we let it ride. Others say we have to do something that distances her from Bill and all the bad stuff that has played out over the past six weeks. We just don't know."

topics:
John McCain, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton