Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler on Monday tipped his hand on who he believes will be the next president: Hillary Clinton.
When asked if the 69-year-old chairman would consider serving another term under the next president, Wheeler replied to applause and laughter: “She hasn’t asked me.”
“I’ll be 71 when I leave this job. So I may just play with the grandkids,” the Democratic FCC commissioner said about his plans after he leaves the agency.
{mosads}The only other female candidate in the race is Republican Carly Fiorina.
An aide to Wheeler clarified, however, that his comments were not an official endorsement and were made in jest.
So far, Clinton has not received a top-tier Democratic opponent. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) jumped into the race last week and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) is considering a run but has not yet made a decision.
Wheeler touched on a number of topics during his appearance Monday at Tech Crunch Disrupt in New York, including the failed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, new net neutrality rules and the GOP backlash against the regulations.
President Obama and his administration pushed hard for the new rules to reclassify broadband under authority governing traditional telephone service, which will give the agency more power to enforce net neutrality principles.
Clinton endorsed the move in February, saying the new rules are “a foot in the door” and a “values statement.”