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Democrats 'will choose Hillary'
29/07/2007 23:09 - (SA)
Washington - Democrats will nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton for president in 2008 and Barack Obama will be her running mate, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich predicts.
The Republicans will have three "formidable" choices in Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson, said Gingrich, who is considering whether to get into the race.
Gingrich is ruling out John McCain's chances among the Republican contenders.
The Arizona senator "has taken positions so deeply at odds with his party's base that I don't see how he can get the nomination", Gingrich said on Sunday in a broadcast interview.
Gingrich said he had dinner recently with Thompson, the former Tennessee senator and actor who has set up a political committee that allows him to raise money for a presidential bid. An official launch is likely in September, after the Labour Day holiday. 'Formidable opponent' Gingrich said he expected Thompson would enter what is shaping up as a competitive race for the Republican nomination against Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, and Giuliani, a former New York City mayor.
"I think that either Mayor Giuliani or Governor Romney or Senator Thompson would be a very formidable opponent for what I expect will be a Clinton-Obama ticket, and I think that there's a possibility that will work," Gingrich said.
In the autumn, Gingrich might decide to jump in, depending on how the Republican candidates are faring against Clinton, the New York senator.
"If there is a vacuum and if there's a real need for somebody to be prepared to debate Senator Clinton, then I would consider running. I think we'll know that in October," Gingrich said.
"But these three are serious people," Gingrich said, referring to Romney, Giuliani and Thompson. "They're working very hard. And if they can fill the vacuum, I don't feel any great need to run."
- SAPA
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