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By Sally Bedell Smith Updated Dec. 11, 2007 12:01 a.m. ET
For many years, one of Bill and Hillary Clinton's closest friends, TV producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, has been fond of saying that when the Clintons "are dead and gone, each of them is going to be buried next to a president of the United States."
It is an idea that the Clintons began talking about decades ago. Back in 1974, Bill Clinton told his friend Diane Kincaid that Hillary "could be president someday." During his own presidential campaign in 1992, he said in an interview, "Eight years of Hillary Clinton? Why not?"
We now face the extraordinary possibility of having two presidents in the White House who are married to each other. That prospect is something that never occurred to our nation's founders, and is only now beginning to catch the attention of the public, with Hillary Clinton's position as front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Imagine being asked to serve as her running mate, knowing that her husband would be far more influential than any vice president. What would a potential secretary of state face now that Sen. Clinton has already said she would use her husband as ambassador to the world? As a former president, would Mr. Clinton read the daily intelligence briefing? His unofficial portfolio would potentially overlap with everyone in authority, without his being subject to Senate confirmation.
The federal anti-nepotism law enacted in December 1967 -- partly as a reaction to John F. Kennedy's appointment of his brother Robert as attorney general -- prohibits any official in the three branches of government, including the president, from appointing a relative to a job over which that official has authority or control. This means Mr. Clinton could not be a cabinet secretary or an ambassador, or White House chief of staff. His role would be necessarily ambiguous. At a time when voters are crying out for more openness in government, such an arrangement raises questions about transparency and accountability.
While Mr. Clinton's return to the West Wing wouldn't directly violate the 22nd Amendment -- designed to limit a president to two terms in office -- it has significant implications because of the unusual nature of Bill and Hillary Clinton's marriage, which is such a deeply entwined political duopoly that "it has always been hard to distinguish who played what role," according to their longtime friend Mickey Kantor.
Many voters, especially Democrats, would welcome Mr. Clinton's experience as a great asset to his wife's administration. But given the Clintons' long history of close consultation, their partnership could end up distorting the way the executive branch is supposed to function -- regardless of the talents each of them might bring to the White House.
So far the Clinton campaign has downplayed the question of Mr. Clinton's role in the administration if his wife were elected -- joking that he might be "first laddie" or "first spouse" or "first gentleman." Campaign videos showing him munching on cheeseburgers and running on a treadmill have served to further de-emphasize the prospect of his power in the White House. Mr. Clinton has said he would only sit in on cabinet meetings "if asked" to discuss "specific issues," and he has declared his intention to give his wife advice "privately most of the time."
But this is exactly the kind of hidden-hand role that caused confusion and resentment when Hillary Clinton was advising her husband in his administration. As first lady, she inhibited staff members and created what one top Clinton administration official called a "world of shadows on the wall."
Bill Clinton's mere presence in the West Wing would be intimidating and complicating. Given his unrivaled experience and huge personality, it's safe to assume that he would be no Denis Thatcher, walking two steps behind. Bill Clinton is "always evangelizing for the church of Bill," said Arkansas journalist Max Brantley. And even if the former president were to continue operating out of his office in New York City and home in Chappaqua, New York, the Clintons' ingrained habits would mean a continuing collaboration, albeit at a distance.
The concept of two presidents in the White House poses one of the biggest conundrums of this political season, and is an issue that can only grow during the general election campaign if Hillary Clinton is the Democratic candidate.
Ms. Smith is the author of "For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton: The White House Years," published this year by Random House.
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