"In the shock scenario where Hillary bows out, the Democratic establishment would be initially stunned and directionless."

Says Bill Scher (at Politico), seeming to argue that some sort of order would emerge from the chaos, but � and I've read the whole thing � I'm really not sure what. Key passage:

As of now, says [Democratic consultant Chris] Lapetina. �there really isn�t any enthusiasm� for the non-Hillary Democrats already flirting with a run�Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Gov. Martin O�Malley and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb�meaning no one would instantly lay claim to the Clintons� vast network of donors.

Still, the Democratic bench is hardly shallow. Among other possible candidates who might suddenly find a fire in their belly: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former Gov. Deval Patrick, former Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sens. Sanders, Mark Warner and Kirsten Gillibrand. Lapetina believes pressure would build for a few really big names to enter, such as Al Gore.

And then there�s Elizabeth....