by Jack Cashill, ©1999
News Talk 980 KMBZ

Hillary Rodham Clinton is set to announce the formation of an exploratory committee to determine whether she shall seek the office of Senator from the State of New York.

She's thinking about it.

Can she represent New York? What are its needs? What are the salient facts? Can she passionately articulate the issues most dear to its citizens? These are the issues that others on the way to Washington mightwell be asking.

But Mrs. Clinton ain't no "Mr. Smith." She's not looking for a good cause so much as a good client. To get the ball rolling, Mrs. Clinton will interview this client quite thoroughly, check out its assets, and figure out if the client can pay her bill. After all, A congenital lawyer's services don't come cheap.

We're talking business here. Make no mistake: this is a case to Hillary. She will pitch the client to the best of her ability. She will get to know its rank and file, pull several "all-nighters" if necessary, and do or say whatever she must to close the deal and get the case.

And she will damn sure see to it that she gets what she wants. Honey, in a New York minute.

And what she wants, make no mistake, is the power and the glory. Like too many attorneys, she worries far less about the client's welfare than she does about her own success, her own reputation, her own--dare we say it?--legacy.

Mrs Clinton has a lot to think about. But, at this point in time, very little to be passionate about. She doesn't know the client well enough to guarantee her emotional commitment. She does, however, realize the potential that this new, mysterious client brings.

And as she ponders her run--and to date, the the only "running" she's done is from Ken Starr--she turns this one memorable phrase around in her mind:

Ask not what you can do for your client, ask what your client can do for you.