Is this inevitable? Not anymore.

"My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know I just, I don't understand it," she said. 

That might change things a bit for those hoping for a "dream ticket." But before all that happened, President Bill Clinton had begun privately contemplating his wife Hillary as Senator Barack Obama's running mate, according to the New York Times.

The former president reportedly believed that his wife's victories in battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, and the 16 million votes cast for her candidacy make her the best choice for Obama in the fall, the Times reports. But it also may position Senator Clinton if she should run for president herself in 2012, if the ticket loses, or 2016.

Time magazine reported that Bill Clinton has been "pushing real hard for this to happen," according to a source identified as a "friend."

After 16 months of campaigning, the Democrats are back where they started, with the same two promising candidates heading into the summer before the general election. Although Obama appears to be on track to clinch the delegates needed for the nomination, Clinton remains in the race and is still winning states. She won West Virginia and Kentucky in the past two weeks and is hoping to do well in Puerto Rico on June 1.

Clinton's victories have emboldened her supporters who argue that she's more electable than Obama. But even if that argument doesn't work to convince superdelegates, some Clinton backers are pushing a Plan B -- Clinton as vice presidential nominee.

"The growing discussion about a ticket of Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton is largely being fueled by Clinton supporters," according to the Times. While not yet claiming the nomination, Obama hasn't ruled out the possibility of a so-called "fusion ticket" and has indicated that Clinton would be on anyone's "short list."

Hillary Clinton may bring considerable assets to the fall campaign, but she could also bring baggage. Her presence could undermine Obama's pitch for "change" and could mobilize some anti-Clinton voters against the ticket.

Then there's the issue of what to do about Bill. The former president hasn't always been on message during the primary campaign, and there's no guarantee he will be on message during the fall. On the other hand, he is considered to be one of the best campaigners and best fundraisers in the party. 

Although Senator Obama has reportedly selected Jim Johnson to lead his vice presidential search team, the Obama camp publicly claims to be focused on winning the nomination before it picks a running mate. That hasn't stopped Washington insiders and media pundits from speculating about his possible running mates.

The names that have been publicly mentioned include New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Delaware Senator Joe Biden, Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, Virginia Senator Jim Webb and Florida Senator Bill Nelson.

There's also been talk of several women, including Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, and of course, New York Senator Hillary Clinton. But if Obama wanted to choose a woman, he might be under pressure to choose the one who has already won 16 million votes in the primaries.

There's even talk of a moderate Republican like Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is now a political independent.

So maybe it's too early to assume Clinton and Obama will have to join forces together. And even some of Clinton's supporters have doubts. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino may have spoken for legions of others when he said Hillary Clinton should not join a ticket with Barack Obama because of the Bill issue. "If she got back into the White House, she'd bring along Big Daddy, and he would overshadow the president," Menino told the Boston Globe.