Hillary Has Met Her Match

Harry Smith Is Looking Forward To A Good Fight In New York

(CBS)  This column was written by CBS News Early Show Co-Anchor Harry Smith.

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Well, this could be something to watch. Jeanine Pirro, the district attorney for Westchester County in New York, announced today that she is running for the Republican nomination for the Senate. Assuming she wins, that sets up a potential whale-of-a-race between Pirro and Senator Hillary Clinton.

For those of you who haven't seen her, Pirro is a knockout on television. I have interviewed her numerous times, and, in news parlance, she spits sound bites. Always prepared and always insightful, she knows how to play the media like a drum.

A moderate, Pirro has been honing her views in the last 24 hours or so to be a little more user friendly to conservatives. That's to be expected.

Republicans are beside themselves; candidates with this much potential just do not come around that often. But, there is just this one thing: I checked candidate Pirro's new Web site today, and what it doesn't mention is her husband, a guy who has actually done hard time for tax evasion.

Jeanine Pirro has done a remarkable job of distancing herself from her husband's legal problems, but the elephant in the room, sorry for the pun, is Albert Pirro. Funny how these things turn out.

Hillary Clinton's husband has a degree of notoriety himself. And while Clinton haters can't believe she's been elected in New York, those of us who have watched her campaign know she is a force to be reckoned with. Her popularity in the state is soaring, and she is a devilishly hard worker.

If you like politics, this could be fun to watch.

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Harry's daily commentary can be heard on many CBS Radio News affiliates across the country.