U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton is actively discouraging potential donors from contributing to any of the announced Democrat presidential candidates, so they'll have political cash on hand if she decides to run next year.
So says Dick Morris, who pointed to a meeting two weeks ago between Bill and Hillary Clinton and 150 party fat cats held at the former first couple's mansion in Chappaqua, N.Y.
"When she had that meeting with her money people up in Westchester, one of the functions was to tell everybody to stay out of the race – not to give money to anybody else," Morris told WABC Radio's Monica Crowley on Saturday.
In fact, one former mega-donor to Bill Clinton's past presidential campaigns came to the Chappaqua soiree convinced Hillary wasn't running, but left believing she could change her mind.
"Some people might have been left with the impression that there's always a possibility [that Hillary might run]," said John Catsimatidis, founder of the Gristedes supermarket chain. "I was."
Aside from any private utterances, Catsimatidis and the rest of the guests were treated to Sen. Clinton's announcement that she'd like all present to stay on board "for my next campaign, whatever that might be."
Morris predicted that the former first couple would "float the rumor of her candidacy at various points to slow down the momentum of other candidates" – and thereby keep the party open to a Hillary Clinton candidacy.
"If she feels Bush is going to lose, then she has to get into this race," he told Crowley. "She has to be there as the viable alternative if Bush is going to be defeated."
Learn how Hillary Clinton pulled the rug out from under Al Gore's 2004 presidential bid in "Hillary's Scheme."
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
2004 Elections
Sen. Hillary Clinton
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