Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, while there are many Democratic women who are qualified to run for president in 2016, she might be the only one with the experience to do it.
In an interview with Canadian network CBC, Clinton said she’s “well aware” of the expectation women have for her to run.
{mosads}“I’m incredibly touched by it and feel responsible because of it,” she said. “And I know that it’s important that we break that highest and hardest glass ceiling. I also believe there are quite a few women who are eminently qualified but may not have the profile.”
Clinton said there were a number of female Democratic senators and governors she thought were qualified, though she offered no names.
“We have a good bench, so to speak. But they haven’t gone through the fire. Part of the reason why there’s a big drumbeat for me to run is because I’ve done it,” she said.
Clinton has repeatedly said she has no plans to make a decision on running until next year, but many expect her to say yes to another White House bid. Every survey of the Democratic field has shown her running away with the nomination.
But over the past few weeks, as she’s returned to the public spotlight with her book tour promoting her new memoir, Clinton has also expressed numerous reservations about a presidential run.
During the CBC interview, she outlined more of those considerations and described the decision as “a highly personal” one.
“Our politics have gotten even more difficult, getting things done is harder than it was four, five, six years ago.”
The job is almost indescribably difficult,” she said. “We have a head of state, a head of government, all rolled up into one; 24/7 media has made decision-making forced. People have to say something to the press whether we’ve thought through what the implications are or not.”
She added: “I want to take my time because it really comes down to what your gut is telling you.”