Given the Clintons ambition for power, most would agree that Hillary doesn’t see Secretary of State as the final chapter in her career. Certainly she’d like to be president. But increasingly, she has to view that prospect as a declining one. As tough as the Clintons are, the book Game Change provides a pretty good insight into just how much that campaign took out of her. The prospect of going through that kind of microwave again can’t be terribly attractive. But, one thing we do know about the Clintons when it comes to the presidency: They never quit.

Some have suggested Hillary play musical chairs with Joe Biden. Biden actually wanted to be Secretary of State more than he wanted to be vice president. So, he’d probably be game. The problem with this scenario is that in terms of power and influence, the veep slot would be a step down for Hillary. And Team Obama never liked the idea of giving Bill Clinton entrée to meddle around the familiar old 18 acres. On the other hand, the surest route to a party nomination is to launch your candidacy from the cat bird’s seat of the vice presidency.

But if, in the end, it’s about how she could have the greatest impact on society, most would agree Clinton could have the most influence by hanging around for a couple of decades writing opinions and casting votes on the Supreme Court.