Hillary Clinton's shadow campaign.

Courtesy of Politico:

Publicly, Clinton insists she’s many months away from a decision about her political future. But a shadow campaign on her behalf has nevertheless been steadily building for the better part of a year — a quiet, intensifying, improvisational effort to lay the groundwork for another White House bid. 

Some of the activity has the former first lady’s tacit approval. Some involves outside groups that are operating independently, and at times in competition with one another, to prepare a final career act for the former senator and secretary of state, whose legacy as the most powerful woman in the history of American politics is already secure. 

More than two dozen people in her orbit interviewed for this article described a virtual campaign in waiting — a term that itself makes some of Clinton’s supporters bristle — consisting of longtime Clinton loyalists as well as people who worked doggedly to elect her onetime rival Obama. 

There are two spheres of influence. One is made up of more than a dozen Clinton staffers, loyalists and longtime friends whose advice she values the most. 

The other sphere is more complex. It includes an assortment of super PACs and outside groups, all jockeying to be part of the Clinton movement but operating beyond her immediate direction and control. Still, some of these efforts could become the foundation of an eventual campaign. 

The Politico article goes on it describe the rancor between these two camps, however I think that is exaggerated somewhat for dramatic effect.

Once Hillary officially announces her candidacy, everybody will fall in line and start working together immediately. Of that I have no doubt.

And when Hillary runs, she wins. Of that I have little doubt as well.

However having said that there are a few potential game changers.

One is her health. In 2016 Hillary will be 69 years old. And though she has seemed to have been in relatively good health all of these years, there was that fainting spell in 2012 (Or as the Republicans labeled it. her Benghazi fever.).

Of course there are numerous men and woman currently serving in political office who are much older, so there is no reason to think that age would be a significant factor, but it could still be a factor.

The other potential problem would be Bill.

The marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton is a rather interesting one no matter how you look at it, and Bill has certainly embarrassed the potential Presidential candidate more than a few times.

If I were a GOP operative I would have had somebody following Bill around ever since Hillary won her Senate seat. With Bill's history of past indiscretions it would be an even bet to suggest that he would have given into his urges at least a few times in the years since he served at President of the United States.

I hope I am wrong, but it would be extremely naive to not at least consider the possibility that the Republicans have something up their sleeve to humiliate and shame Hillary.

However if neither of those two realities exist then Hillary should have little difficulty strolling into the White House  after the 2016 elections cycle.  And that would be very good for the country indeed.