Gillibrand sidesteps question on possible Clinton 2020 run

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday dodged a question about whether she could support former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a potential 2020 presidential candidate following statements that Gillibrand made last year about former President Bill Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

“Last year you said that President Clinton should have stepped aside in the Lewinsky affair,” CNN’s Brianna Keilar said to Gillibrand. “Hillary Clinton recently said she rejected the idea that it was an abuse of power, seemed very out of step with where the national Democratic conversation is. Is that reason for why she should not run?”

“I think every woman should consider whether they want to run, and there’s going to be several, which is exciting,” Gillibrand said.

{mosads}”But what she said, is that what you could stand behind?” Keilar asked. “I’m assuming that is not what you would want to hear your candidate saying.”

Gillibrand said, “I think Secretary Clinton will make her own decision based on what she wants to do and what vision she wants to share with America. And I think that there are many women who will look at what President Trump has done to this country, dividing us, tearing us apart … I think women will feel called to this moment as to whether they need to run whether they need to share their vision for America.”

“How important is it for them to reflect the national conversation?” Keilar asked. “To reflect in this ‘Time’s Up,’ ‘Me Too’ era in a way we didn’t see her doing?”

“I think every candidate needs to run on their values,” said Gillibrand, who has signaled that she may run for president in 2020.

She has made waves for rebuking individuals, including high-profile Democrats, accused of sexual misconduct.

Gillibrand criticized now-former Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) as well as former President Clinton.

Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, has defended her husband, saying last month that it was not an abuse of power for her husband to have had an affair with a White House intern.