The former first lady has more than a little experience in forcing such issues. In April 2000, her hand-picked attorney general, Janet Reno, supervised the machine-gunpoint kidnapping of Cuban boat boy Elian Gonzalez in a bid to return him to his father.

Republicans were outraged - and even liberal constitutional experts like Alan Dershowitz and Laurence Tribe argued that Elian's kidnapping was a gross violation of the Fourth Amendment.

But demands by critics that Congress hold hearings into the Gonzalez kidnapping were rejected by Republican leaders - including then-presidential candidate George Bush, who dispatched top aide Joe Allbaugh to the Hill to put the kibosh on any investigation.

By signaling that she wouldn't oppose the much-less-violent extraction of Schiavo from her hospice by either federal or state law enforcement, Sen. Clinton could show she really does have the respect for life that she claims she does.

Undoubtedly, right-to-die advocates would rail about the gross abuse of power - just as Clinton critics did in the Gonzalez case. But with Mrs. Clinton's imprimatur on the rescue, their complaints would get nowhere.

Sen. Clinton is clearly conflicted on Schiavo's plight, declining to show up for the vote on congressional intervention last week and refusing to comment on the case ever since.

Now, with the Supreme Court turning thumbs down on Terri, the top Democrat may be her last hope.

If Hillary Clinton really does want to return to the West Wing one day, it's time for her to leave the shelter of the political sidelines and demonstrate some presidential-style leadership to save Terri Schiavo.

Editor's note: