Morris Says It's Hillary, Rudy and Maybe Bloomberg

Even though he says she's faltering at the moment, pundit Dick Morris predicts that Hillary Clinton will eventually overtake Barack Obama to secure the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination.

Morris feels that oodles of previously non-voting women will turn out in droves to vote for the New York Senator and former First Lady. Some have referred to this as the "Oprah" factor, that is millions of working and middle class women who are fans of the daytime talk show host would take Oprah's cue to vote for the first female President of the United States.

Unfortunately for Clinton, Oprah didn't get that memo. She's supporting Obama. With two important constituencies that Clinton needs - women and Blacks - likely to follow Oprah, my view is Hillary could be in trouble short of a major Obama stumble.

Despite this, Hillary has geared up a major effort to reach out to women voters across the spectrum.

Hillary knows she needs Oprah and one report has her offering Ms. Winfrey the VP spot. Some have urged Oprah to seek the Presidency herself. Neither scenario is likely to play out, Oprah is doing quite well with her media empire and she will no doubt have any desire to take a major pay cut to have every detail of her life spilled across the media, more than it already has been.

On the Republican side, Morris doesn't see anyone but former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's campaign going anywhere. Were former Senator and Law and Order star Fred Thompson or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to enter the race, they could make a dent; Morris' view is that Rudy will win anyway. Both nominations could be settled by the February 5th "Super Primary" and in the ensuing wait for the summer political conventions, Morris predicts that current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg could enter the race as an independent.