Hillary Shakes Up The Race

Clinton's Weekend Announcement Overshadowed Others Who Jumped Into 2008 Presidential Contest

Sen. Hillary Clinton finally ended all the speculation about her presidential ambitions over the weekend, declaring her candidacy on her Web site. And in doing so, CBS News correspondent Joie Chen reports she instantly became the one to beat in a crowded field of wannabes.

"It will be a great contest with a lot of talented people," Clinton said Sunday – "a lot" being the operative word. In her first appearance since Saturday's announcement, New York's junior senator upstaged two other contenders who announced their entry into the race: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a fellow Democrat, and Sen. Sam Brownback, who admitted his quest for the Republican nomination is something of a fantasy.

"My family and I are taking the first steps on the yellow brick road to the White House," Brownback, R-Kan., said at a rally in Topeka. It might be easier to get an audience with the Wizard of Oz than steal Clinton's thunder right now.

Whether Democrat or Republican, others seeking the job found themselves scrambling to acknowledge her dominance without coming across as irrelevant. "I think she's incredibly formidable and has got to be the frontrunner and the odds-on pick right now," Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., said Sunday. "I think she'd be a very formidable candidate," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said.

At this point, only McCain polls in the high 40s with Clinton. That's with 22 months to go before the election and a lot of unknowns ahead, including the staying power of the young Illinois senator, who's currently Clinton's closest Democratic rival, Barack Obama.