Martin O’Malley Struggles to Name Biggest Threats to U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Potential Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley said Sunday that the country needs fresh perspectives for confronting its problems and criticized the prospects of the Clinton and Bush families yet again seeking the White House.

“The presidency of the United States is not some crown to be passed between two families,” the former Maryland governor told ABC’s “This Week.”

O’Malley spoke as former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is considered a likely candidate and clear front runner for the Democratic nomination. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is considered a probable contender for the Republican nomination.

“I think that our country always benefits from new leadership and new perspectives,” O’Malley said. He added, “We need a president who’s on our side, a president who’s willing to take on powerful, wealthy special interests” to restore the economy.

Asked if Clinton would take on special interests, O’Malley said, “I don’t know. I don’t know where she stands. Will she represent a break with the failed policies of the past? I don’t know.”

O’Malley said he will decide whether to run for president this spring and questioned whether his party’s nomination of Clinton – also a former senator and first lady – is inevitable.

“History is full of times when the inevitable front-runner is inevitable right up until he or she is no longer inevitable,” he said.

O’Malley’s response to questions slowed noticeably when asked what he considers the top foreign threat faced by the U.S.

“Uh, the greatest danger that we face right now on a consistent basis in terms of man-made threats, is uh, is uh, nuclear Iran and related to that, uh, extremist violence. I don’t think you can separate the two,” he said.