Clinton is widely believed to be considering a Democratic presidential bid in 2008 in what promises to be one of the most viciously fought campaigns ever because of an unusual constellation.
President George W. Bush cannot run for a third term and Vice President Dick Cheney has said he will not seek the Republican nomination. That would make 2008 the first election in more than 50 years with neither a sitting president nor vice president competing.
With no "heir apparent" in either party, that would make for highly competitive primaries to choose the two presidential candidates.
Only Senator Joseph Biden, a Democrat, has indicated a presidential bid so far. But at least a dozen other prominent politicians are also seen as likely to enter the race for the White House.
The Canadian gambling website sportsinteraction.com recently gave Hillary Clinton the best odds, 5-1. Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican who enjoyed immense popularity because of his response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, was next at 7- 1.
Former senator John Edwards, John Kerry's running mate in last year's election, is in third place.
Other big names believed to be pondering a presidential campaign include Republican Senator John McCain, who ran unsuccessfully against Bush in the 2000 Republican primary, and Kerry, who lost to Bush last year.
At least six other senators are seen as contemplating to compete for the White House, including Democrat Evan Bayh and five Republicans - Bill Frist, Rick Santorum, Chuck Hagel, Sam Brownback and George Allen.
The unusually high number of senators likely to compete for the White House has already shown its effects in the operation of the legislative body, as lawmakers appear to be jockeying for position to set up their candidacies.
Frist, the Senate Majority Leader, was accused of trying to appease the powerful Christian conservative block by highlighting the right-to-die case of Terri Schiavo earlier this year, and by ramming through Bush's most controversial judicial nominees. He was joined in the efforts by conservatives Santorum, Allen and Brownback.
In contrast, McCain and Hagel have set themselves apart from the White House by publicly criticizing or opposing Bush on crucial initiatives.
But only two sitting senators have ever become president. More often, governors ascend to the country's highest office, as shown by the recent successes of Bush, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.
Several governors may enter the fray in 2008 - such as New York's George Pataki and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, both Republicans. For the Democrats, even more governors could throw their hats in the ring, including Virginia's Mark Warner, New Mexico's Bill Richardson and Iowa's Tom Vilsack.
In addition, a number of prominent political figures are courted, although they have said they would not run in 2008, as their supporters believe they have what it takes to win the presidency.
That group includes Cheney, the current president's brother Jeb Bush, who is governor of Florida, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Some of the possible candidates will ultimately decide the time isn't right for a presidential bid, it appears clear that the race will be crowded and expensive as candidates compete for the money of political donors.
U.S. primaries, in which party activists nominate a presidential candidate, also tend to be especially nasty when there is no clear frontrunner. The 2008 race will likely feature such primaries for both of the major parties, something that has not happened in decades.
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