It seems that no matter how many times Hillary Clinton says she has no aspirations to run for president again, some people can’t help but believe she’s keeping the door ever so slightly ajar. Admittedly, we often fall into that contingent of skeptics. She came so close in 2008, only to be stopped by an unprecedented campaign and an unprecedented candidate. She would be even more qualified and more widely respected if she ran again after a stint as secretary of State. And we know she’s ambitious. So why ever take the option completely off the table? Despite her seemingly resounding denials, we’re not sure she has. Here’s what she said on Meet the Press this Sunday:
DAVID GREGORY: Right. But you didn’t, but you didn’t say never.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, you know, I say no, never, you know, not at all. I don’t know what, what else to say.
DAVID GREGORY: Are you saying you wouldn’t entertain another run?
She doesn’t believe that it’s going to happen — but she could be wrong. She’s focused on what she’s doing — now. What about when she’s not secretary of State anymore? Are we reading too much into this? Maybe not!
Today the Daily News reports that Clinton has “transformed [her] massive campaign debts into a $3 million mountain of political cash” and still employs a political team of eight people. Now what would someone who’s “out of politics,” as she says, and who doesn’t plan to run for office again, need with all that cash and staff? Well, there is a reasonable explanation. The campaign didn’t end that long ago, and they’re simply working on winding it down, one staffer claims. Her millions might be donated to other candidates or charity. We could buy that. But even if it happens, we’ll take it with a grain of salt. When it’s the spring of 2016 and Hillary isn’t in the race, then we’ll know for sure.
No political race in sight, but Hillary Clinton’s camp is election-ready [NYDN]
