The National Enquirer, still basking in the glow of its takedown of philandering John Edwards – a story well-known to many in the media but ignored because the man was, after all, the Democrats’ pick for veep and a darling of the left – is reporting that Hillary Clinton may be heading to rehab for a drinking problem.

A  “boozed-up” Hillary Clinton suffered a secret collapse during a recent vacation – and now worried advisers want her to do a secret stint in rehab before her White House run!

Sources close to the former FirstLady and ex-Secretary of State revealed the hush-hush “Rehab Before White House” plan to The National ENQUIRER in advance of Hillary’s formal announcement to be a 2016 presidential candidate, touted for early next year.

A high-level insider told The ENQUIRER: “Hillary’s social drinking has gone out of 
control!

The first problem is the anonymous sourcing.  The second problem is that this is just someone’s idea that Hillary should go, not that she will go.  This is very thin gruel indeed, even if true.

The story alleges that husband Bill wants Hillary to go, and shares the concern of her aides (Huma?) that she may make serious mistakes on the campaign trail under the influence of, or hung over from, booze.  Fair enough.  Hillary will be 69 in 2016, and the rigors of a campaign at that age are a challenge in themselves, even without the handicap of substance issues.

I can’t imagine Mrs. Clinton accepting the discipline of an addiction program rehabilitation center.  The article mentions that she may avoid the likes of the Betty Ford Clinic in favor of a personal counselor, but even so, a lot of giving up of personal autonomy is required in such a situation.  My reading is that Mrs. Clinton is too willful to be able to accept such circumstances and profit from them.  But she may crave the presidency so much that she would be willing to do this.

With John Edwards, the Enquirer played the story out over multiple issues before springing the photographic evidence it had uncovered on Edwards and the world.  Since the goal is to sell more copies at the supermarket check-out stands, if the magazine does have more evidence up its sleeve, it will take its time dribbling it out.

So stay tuned, and pick the long line at the supermarket so as to allow ample time for browsing through the pages of the Enquirer.