I have never bought into the Clinton wants Kerry to lose line. Hillary is not a risk taker. She can't handle losing. That is why she ran in NY. Practically a couldn't miss. She would much rather some man take the chances and do the dirty work then she follows in working behind the scenes unelected and unaccountable.
I tend to see Hillary as someone who would only step in to 'save the party' if she could avoid the vetting process...she has been laying low and working hard at saying the right things this past 2 years...her entrance into this race would energize the Democratic voters to come out in droves IMHO...if she could be annointed while avoiding a primary contest I think she'd jump at the chance.