Nixon son in-law may take on Hillary

Ed Cox, son in-law to the late President Richard Milhous Nixon, may challenge Hillary Clinton for the U.S. Senate seat for New York.

Cox wed Tricia Nixon in the White House Rose Garden just as the Pentagon Papers hit the news in '71. An original member of Nader's Raiders, he was loyal to Nixon until his death and had urged him not to resign the presidency.

So is that a plus or minus? Who knows in these wacky times!

None of the Republican heavyweights in NY (Gov. Pataki, Giuliani, etc.) appear ready to challenge Sen. Clinton, but Cox, a corporate lawyer, has formed an exploratory committee, raised money and conducted private polling, the NY Observer reports.

Republicans say their polling shows Sen. Clinton won't receive more than 55 percent of the vote. (Memo to Republicans: that's more than enough to win.)

Irony Department: Hillary Clinton started her political career working on the committee that investigated Watergate. Almost Hamlet-like, eh?

"Ed’s about 95, 98 percent there," said (close friend Lawrence) Kudlow of Mr. Cox’s decision to run. "In my discussions with Ed, he’s going to run as a tax-cutting supply-sider—tough on the budget, very strong on national defense, educational choice. I think he’s going to run a pro-life campaign."

Prediction: New York's a blue state; Cox would lose.

[nyo]