A 12.28 article by Robert Reich offers an interesting prediction: “Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden will swap places. Biden becomes Secretary of State — a position he’s apparently coveted for years. And Hillary Clinton, Vice President. So the Democratic ticket for 2012 is Obama-Clinton.

“Why do I say this? Because Obama needs to stir the passions and enthusiasms of a Democratic base that’s been disillusioned with his cave-ins to regressive Republicans. Hillary Clinton on the ticket can do that.

“The deal would also make Clinton the obvious Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 — offering the Democrats a shot at twelve (or more) years in the White House, something the Republicans had with Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush but which the Democrats haven’t had since FDR. Twelve years gives the party in power a chance to reshape the Supreme Court as well as put an indelible stamp on America.

“According to the latest Gallup poll, Obama and Clinton are this year’s most admired man and woman. This marks the fourth consecutive win for Obama, while Clinton has been the most admired woman in each of the last 10 years. She’s topped the list 16 times since 1993, exceeding the record held by former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who topped the list 13 times.

“Obama-Clinton in 2012. It’s a natural.”

I posted this because it’s a good idea all around. It makes fundamental sense. It would make the Obama ticket seem like a greater sum of its parts than if Biden ran again as vp. Obama needs to upspin things in his favor as much as possible if he’s going to squeak through to victory.