Robert Reich who’s political predictions are astoundingly wrong most of the time thinks he has the perfect ticket for Dems in 2012.

“My political prediction for 2012 (based on absolutely no inside information): Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden swap places. Biden becomes Secretary of State — a position he’s apparently coveted for years. And Hillary Clinton, Vice President.

So the Democratic ticket for 2012 is Obama-Clinton.

Why do I say this? Because Obama needs to stir the passions and enthusiasms of a Democratic base that’s been disillusioned with his cave-ins to regressive Republicans. Hillary Clinton on the ticket can do that.

Moreover, the economy won’t be in superb shape in the months leading up to Election Day. Indeed, if the European debt crisis grows worse and if China’s economy continues to slow, there’s a better than even chance we’ll be back in a recession. Clinton would help deflect attention from the bad economy and put it on foreign policy, where she and Obama have shined.

The deal would also make Clinton the obvious Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 — offering the Democrats a shot at twelve (or more) years in the White House, something the Republicans had with Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush but which the Democrats haven’t had since FDR. Twelve years gives the party in power a chance to reshape the Supreme Court as well as put an indelible stamp on America. “

You can tell he has no inside information because nobody in their right mind thinks this is a ticket. While Hillary has played the game with Obama, becoming his SOS, insiders know that she secretly abhors him. Remember she was burned in 2008 by party power insiders that chop blocked her campaign to get Obama the nomination. She’s good at looking like she’s content with those she despises. Look at her and Bill.

But in a President/Vice President relationship? I think not. I know history is full of stories of Presidents not liking their Vice Presidents and visa-versa, but this would be Agamemnon. Add Bill to that mix in the White House, in a word, chaos.

A glaring mistake in Reich’s analyst is Clinton’s age, now 65. Sure young enough for a run in 2012, but she’s pushing 70 in 2016. One thing that hurt McCain in 2008 was age. It’s the undisclosed factor in elections, age does discriminate, especially when the opponent is young and vibrant. George Bush Sr. found this out in 1992 with Bill Clinton, McCain discovered the same in 2008.

By 2016 the GOP “hopefully” has some young vibrant candidates such as Marco Rubio (odds on favorite for a 2016 run) and picture that up against Hillary.

No, if Hillary runs it’s either 2012 – as an independent – or never.