Few politicians have endured the physical and emotional rigors of such a drawn-out election campaign.

Few presidential candidates have come so close to winning their party's nomination without winning.

No woman in American history has come so close to winning the White House.

Given all that, what next for Sen. Hillary Clinton?

From her own perspective, becoming Sen. Barack Obama's vice-presidential running mate may offer the greatest rewards. It would allow her to prove to Obama loyalists and Democratic Party leaders that she truly can look beyond herself, support the ticket, campaign graciously and vigorously for the man who beat her and help the party defeat Republican Sen. John McCain. Four (or eight) years of the vice presidency would give Clinton a powerful platform from which to travel the world and help shape public policy. It would be history-making in itself. And it would be the most high-profile position from which to launch a second try for the top job.

Obama, of course, may hate this idea. From his perspective, adding Clinton to the ticket may create as many challenges as it solves. So then what?

• The U.S. Senate? Clinton will, at least for now, return to her post as senator from New York. Other failed presidential candidates have gone on to successful, even legendary, Senate careers, notably Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. And while Clinton is a tough partisan, she has also worked skillfully with Senate Republicans.

Still, Clinton remains the junior senator from New York. She would be barred from important chairmanships by the Senate's strict rules of seniority for many years. Hard feelings from the campaign, in which many of her Senate colleagues endorsed her rival, may also limit her effectiveness.

• The governorship of New York? With Eliot Spitzer's bizarre disappearance from the political scene, there may be a chance for Clinton in Albany. Taking on Spitzer's Democratic replacement, David Paterson, would be delicate, considering his support for her. But if Paterson bows out after finishing Spitzer's term, Clinton would have a golden opportunity. She might make a terrific governor - and she might love it. It's an executive job with a national profile. It comes with policy and political challenges galore. And it's not at all a bad spot from which to launch a second presidential bid. On the other hand, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg may jump into the race - bringing with him campaign cash galore.

• The Supreme Court? This, of course, is not in Clinton's hands, but what a smart move President Obama would make in filling his first available court opening with his one-time rival.

She has thought deeply about the biggest questions facing the nation. Her liberal political view and sharp powers of reasoning and debate would provide a powerful check on the court's conservatives - a critical first step in resetting the court's recent course.

It's a post from which she could make a world of difference for all Americans.

First things first, of course. Tomorrow, she must state clearly that she has lost and Obama has won. She must urge her supporters to switch their support and energy to him - convincing women in West Virginia, blue-collar workers in North Dakota and Hispanics in Florida that Obama, not McCain, is their clear choice in November.

She should call off the partisans trying to pressure Obama into making her his running mate. Whether she wants the job or not, it is his decision to make - and she should make that clear.

Finally, Clinton must convince the nation that - unlike what she might have implied during the long Democratic campaign - Obama is, in fact, prepared for the presidency, capable of beating McCain and ready to move the country in a positive direction. For her country, her party and herself, it's the only choice.