HILLARY NAILS IT: A few thoughts after watching Hillary on Letterman last night:

She has really polished her act over the years. She now seems genuine, warm, and honest. (As opposed to measured, cold, and evasive.) All except for the moment when, asked whether she wanted to be President, she replied: "You have to be a little...(pause, dark expression as she realizes she shouldn't say "crazy")...intense to be President." I'm paraphrasing, but those who saw it will remember the moment. All of a sudden her aura of spontaneity collapsed around her. Still, she was so generally solid and open and in the moment most of the time, I have to believe she's grown a ton personally over the past decade. You could just feel it, watching her.

I really believe she's not running in '04. She left no wiggle room.

She hit on the one theme the Dems can win with, and it aint' the war in Iraq, loss of civil liberties, fear of terrorism, or even taxes. It's, once again, the economy. People have less money now than when Clinton was the prez. My parents have less money. I have less money. My friends have less money. Etc. And none of us like it. And if a Dem could really make us believe that Bush is at least part of the problem -- all the while saying the right things about terrorism, drugs for seniors, abortion rights, and education -- he or she could make some headway against the Bush juggernaut. Barring some major violent catastrophe, I predict the '04 rhetoric will begin to coalesce around this very theme.