More Evidence Hillary's Running

Though she has yet to submit her bid and the campaign won't launch for months, Politico is not only reporting that Hillary is running, but also what Hillary Clinton's campaign will look like — from who will serve in top positions, how her strategy will differ from her 2008 campaign, and what potential road bumps, if any, she'll face. The report pointed out that Clinton will run virtually unopposed in the primary, painting an overall confident campaign that is expected to yield very different results than her 2008 run.

According to Politico, Clinton is currently in the final stages of planning her 2016 presidential campaign, which she'll likely announce in April. Campaign advisers told Politico that the likelihood of her running went from a steady 98 percent, which she had maintained unwaveringly for months, to 100 percent after Christmas, when she established a preliminary budget and hired some key people for the campaign.

In fact, many of the top slots have already been filled, and a strategy is being formed based on lessons learned in 2008. Though it's still too early to assess the threat level she'll face in the general election, Clinton is pretty much a shoo-in for the primary.

What exactly will Clinton's campaign look like? Thanks to Politico, we now know...

Top Posts Have Been Chosen

Politico predicts that Clinton's top people will include campaign manager Robby Mook, who made significant contributions when he worked on Clinton's 2008 campaign; campaign chairman John Podesta, who announced his resignation as Counselor to President Obama this month to take on a senior adviser role in Clinton's presumptive campaign; longtime adviser and counsel for both Bill and Hillary Cheryl Mills as a top adviser; adviser Huma Abedin, who has been a longtime aide to Clinton and wife of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner; and adviser Philippe Reines, who served as a senior adviser when Clinton was Secretary of State.

Meanwhile, two players in Obama's successful campaign, pollster Joel Benenson and media strategist Jim Margolis, have reportedly been enlisted to help Clinton form her message.

Husband Bill Clinton will also play a crucial role, as will daughter Chelsea.

She Won't Be Making The Same Mistakes She Made In 2008

One of the biggest lessons Clinton learned in 2008 was to cultivate a healthier relationship with the press. That's why, according to Politico, Clinton is putting emphasis on designating a communications director who can play nice with journalists and foster a more favorable image of her in the media.

Some contenders fighting for the position reportedly include White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri; Brian Fallon, who is currently the top spokesman for Attorney General Eric Holder; Democratic National Committee Communications Director Mo Elleithee; former MSNBC host Karen Finney, who also served as press secretary for Clinton; and Kiki McLean, a consultant and strategist who was a senior adviser during Clinton's 2008 campaign.

Potential Running Mates

Though Politico points out that Clinton's downfall in 2008 was partly due to her presumptuousness in being nominated, the report reveals that some of her advisers are already discussing running mates. They include Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, and some diversity-friendly choices like Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, HUD Secretary Julián Castro, Labor Secretary Tom Perez, and California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

She's Running Mostly Unopposed

However, it's safer this time around for Clinton to campaign as a presumed Democratic nominee. That's because she's faced with very little real opposition. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has been regarded as her biggest threat, has stated she won't run, and Vice President Joe Biden has teased his presidential bid, but Politico believes that he's keeping the option open in case Clinton's campaign somehow collapses. Plus, Biden hasn't exactly polled favorably.

But There Will Still Be Obstacles

Besides the same issues that killed her 2008 campaign, including mishandling funds, her inconsistent image, a constantly feuding campaign staff, the latter of which was revealed in catty emails, and an overall deficient campaign structure, Clinton might face some new obstacles for 2016. Politico reports that one of the major components to her new strategy is appealing to progressives by wooing endorsers from the left, but should Warren change her mind and run, the populist hero could steal back some of Clinton's thunder and make her approach to the left appear insincere and political.

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