( CNN ) -- Hillary Clinton has n't said whether she 's going to run for president in 2016 . And Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has said , repeatedly , that she 's not planning to run . But , given the dynamics of today 's politics , the two women need each other . And they both should run for the Democratic nomination . A primary challenge from Warren could be the very best thing to happen to Clinton in a run for the presidency . Most pundits have argued that a Warren challenge would be a problem that Clinton needs to confront , a genuine roadblock in her path to the presidency . The division and discord , they say , would be a repeat of the 2008 primaries where she ultimately lost to Barack Obama . But a Warren candidacy could have a very healthy effect for Clinton and for the Democratic Party . The biggest challenge that Clinton faces right now , assuming that she decides to run , is that she might be unable to generate enough excitement among Democrats that would mobilize voters and excite the media in the general election . Part of the problem revolves around the same old issue of `` inevitability . '' As in 2008 , people treat her candidacy as a given and assume that she would be the likely Democratic nominee . In American politics , voters tend to like the underdog . When Clinton hit the campaign trail in 2008 as the `` inevitable '' winner , she often fell flat . Obama used the image of inevitability against her . Indeed , some of the finest moments in her campaign came toward the end when it became clear that Obama was probably going to win the nomination . Her fight intensified , and she made a much stronger appeal to key elements of the Democratic Party . As New York Sen. Chuck Schumer recently reminded his party , Democrats do best when they deal with the issues facing the middle class and advance an agenda that focuses on economic security for all . Far from being `` radical , '' this has been the kind of policy agenda for which Democratic voters thirst . It was the heart of the New Deal and the Great Society , as well as successful Democratic midterm campaigns ( like 1982 or 2006 ) and the 2008 election . In recent times , Democrats have done well when they pay attention to the middle class and suffer when they move too far away from these issues . This kind of agenda could inspire Democratic voters and attract independents who are frustrated with the continued challenges facing the middle class . If Warren forces Clinton to confront these issues and to articulate a stronger response to the economic issues of our days -- creating countervailing pressure to the political experts who will implore her to stay away from these questions -- it would only make the former first lady and secretary of state a stronger candidate . Warren 's candidacy would force Clinton to put herself on the record over how she would help the middle class -- committing to the kinds of policies that will be desirable to many voters , including some independents and even moderate Republicans who are struggling in this economy and who are uncomfortable with the solutions offered by a GOP that continues to lean hard to the right . A Warren candidacy would also put pressure on Clinton 's team to make sure they pay close attention to the grass roots . In the 2008 primaries , the Clinton campaign faltered in dealing with the political ground war , the job of mobilizing and organizing local activists and deploying social media to bring out supporters . If there is no Democratic challenger , Clinton might not do enough to prepare for the onslaught she would face from a GOP , a party armed with tea party activists and a huge network of campaign donors ready for battle . If Warren runs , Clinton will be forced to have her campaign infrastructure in place and in top form before the general election campaign begins . There is also the virtue of Clinton sharpening her basic campaign skills . Although she has never really left politics since her husband 's election as President in 1992 , she is probably a bit rusty , as her book rollout in June showed . In the current media environment , there is no room for mistakes -- and given that the Republicans might have some pretty strong candidates in the mix , she will have to be at the top of her game . Clinton is an immensely skilled politician and can compete with the best , but the challenge of running against Warren would make her stronger by the fall of 2016 . Both candidates would benefit from a real primary . Polls show Clinton has a commanding lead against any challenger , including Warren , so the odds are this would not be a genuine threat to her nomination . But a primary would vastly enhance Warren 's stature on Capitol Hill and give her a bigger profile within the party for years to come . For Clinton , a vigorous challenge from the base of the party will be just the kind of competitive spur that she needs .
Warren has n't said whether she 's running in 1992 ; Warren says she is not . Julian Zelizer : A challenge to Warren 's front-runner status from Warren would be good for Hillary Clinton . He says it would force Clinton to up her campaign game in advance of general election .