Ok. Al Franken (on Air America Radio) was just talking with some crazy old (rightwing?) journalist guy (Les Kingsolver? I can't be bothered.) who is famous for asking less-than-standard questions of the White House Press Secretary. As they came to the end of the interview, he fired off an awesome question to Al, who was thunderstruck.

I will get to the meat of the question in a moment. But first:

You will have seen reports from time to time regarding how George HW Bush and Bill Clinton have struck up a friendship of sorts. There was the Indian Ocean cruise just after Christmas. There were joint public appearances. There was the recent story (somewhere, I forget) about Bill spending time up in Kennebunkport.

You will have seen reports that Hillary Clinton seems keen on a (potentially successful) run for the presidency.

You will have heard about the "Sandra Day! Come back Sandra Day!" campaign among certain senatorial types.

You will have heard discussion of how Dubyah is in a bit of a pickle over how to get a Supreme Court to his liking.

You will have noticed that Dubyah is having problems in the realm of uniting versus dividing the Amuhrkin public.

Would Dubyah like to knock Hillary out of the presidential race before it gets rolling? Would he like to see Jebby have a shot? Would he like a solidly pro-business Supreme Court Justice? Would he like smooth sailing on the rest of his lower court appointments? Would he like to take over the news for a while to draw attention away from his various catastrophes? Would he like to wrongfoot the resurgent Democratic Party ahead of the 2006 midterm elections? Would he like to clear the field for Chief Justice Clarence Thomas?

Would he dare nominate Bill Clinton to the Supreme Court and kill all sorts of birds with one stone?

(That was the meat of the question. There is precedent: see William Howard Taft.)

Great Googly Woogly.