Rumors of Hillary Clinton’s consideration of a 2020 bid intensified this week following reports from the New York Times and Washington Post, which signified that the failed presidential candidate has not ruled out jumping in the race.
The New York Times on Tuesday ran a piece centering around concerns of establishment Democrats, who are not confident that anyone in the current Democrat field — not Joe Biden (D), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), or Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) — could successfully take down President Trump in the 2020 general election.
“Since the last debate, just anecdotally, I’ve had five or six people ask me: ‘Is there anybody else?’” Leah Daughtry, who the Times described as a “longtime Democrat who has run two of the party’s recent conventions,” said.
That is just one example of many. According to the Times, many Democrats — from voters to high-profile lawmakers — are worried about the state of the current Democrat field and are quietly looking for a savior:
“There’s more anxiety than ever,” said Connie Schultz, a journalist who is married to Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, another Democrat who some in the party would like to see join the race. “We’re both getting the calls. I’ve been surprised by some who’ve called me.”
“I can see it, I can feel it, I can hear it,” Mitch Landrieu, the former New Orleans mayor, said of the unease within the party. He said he thinks Mr. Biden is best positioned to defeat Mr. Trump but called the former vice president’s fund-raising “a real concern.”
Clinton and billionaire Michael Bloomberg are reportedly keeping tabs on the mounting concerns and “have both told people privately in recent weeks that if they thought they could win, they would consider entering the primary,” according to the Times. However, they are “skeptical there would be an opening, according to Democrats who have spoken with them.”
The Times adds that Democrats familiar with their thinking do not see either jumping in unless Biden goes down:
The chances that another major contender decides to run are remote: While Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Bloomberg have both been encouraged to enter the race, Democrats close to them believe the only scenario under which they’d consider running is if Mr. Biden drops out or is badly weakened.
The Washington Post also signaled that a 2020 run for Clinton remains on the table, as Democrats continue to worry about Biden’s mounting baggage and the ultra-liberal policies of his closest contenders.
“Hillary Clinton, according to two people close to her, has not ruled out jumping in herself, a sign that she is hearing similar dissatisfaction,” the Post reported:
Those close to Clinton, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on her behalf, say she has felt vindicated over the past few weeks as Trump’s political difficulties have deepened. That sentiment was reinforced this week when the State Department announced its probe into emails sent to a private server, a major complication of her 2016 campaign, found no evidence of deliberate mishandling of classified information by department employees.
One source who spoke with Clinton said that it is “unlikely” that she would throw her hat into the presidential ring for the third time but emphasized that the chances “ain’t zero.”
“But put it this way: It ain’t zero. And does she think about it all the time? Absolutely,” the source said, according to the Post.
Clinton has made no obvious attempts to extinguish the festering 2020 buzz. This month, Trump teased “Crooked Hillary,” suggesting that she enter the race “to try and steal it away from Uber Left Elizabeth Warren.” Clinton warned Trump not to “tempt” her to do so on social media.
She furthered speculation during an interview with PBS NewsHour, claiming that she could “obviously” beat Trump “again,” although her use of “again” remains unclear, as Trump defeated Clinton by surpassing the required 270 Electoral College threshold.
“Maybe there does need to be a rematch. I mean, obviously, I can beat him again,” Clinton said. “But, just seriously, I don’t understand. I don’t think anybody understands what motivates him, other than personal grievance, other than seeking adulation.”
The former secretary of state continued to fuel the rumblings by posting a quote from Beyoncé about the need to “take” power on Tuesday.
“Beyoncé speaks the truth,” Clinton wrote in the caption:
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