Hillary Clinton says she is “deluged” with requests to try another run for president and has still not completely ruled out joining the crowded field of 2020 Democrat candidates.
The former U.S. Secretary of State has repeatedly avoided categorically stepping out of the race for the White House – or directly into it, for that matter.
During media appearances in the UK last month, Clinton twice hinted she may make a belated push on the basis she claims so many people want to see her on the national stage once more.
Speaking on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show in London last Friday, Clinton confirmed she would “have to make up my mind really quickly” if she was going to join the race.
When pushed to respond if she would make a run for the White House for a third time, she prevaricated and avoided a direct reply, instead responding with: “As I say, never, never, never say never.”
She did concede she would need to make up her mind “really quickly” about whether or not to jump into the presidential race.
Clinton has already missed the filing deadline for the first primary in New Hampshire but there is no deadline for the next caucuses in Iowa in early February.
Responding to Norton, Clinton said she had been “deluged” over the last few weeks thinking about running again, but added that, “right now, I’m not, at all, planning that.”
Norton asked: “The rumour mill is flying that you could step back into the ring.”
Clinton replied: “I hear that. I have been deluged the last few weeks with thinking about doing that, but right now I’m not at all planning that.”
Last month Clinton told BBC Radio 5 Live she was under “enormous pressure” to consider a 2020 White House run.
When asked about her future in politics, Clinton said, “I feel a sense of responsibility partly because you know my name was on the ballot, I got more votes, but ended up losing to the current incumbent in the White House who I think is really undermining our democracy in very fundamental ways. And I want to retire him.”
When asked if she is absolutely ruling it out, Clinton said, “ I will certainly tell you. I’m under enormous pressure from many, many, many people to think about it. But as of this moment, sitting here in this studio talking to you, that is absolutely not in my plans.”
Clinton and her daughter Chelsea, are currently in London promoting their new co-authored book – The Book Of Gutsy Women: Favourite Stories Of Courage And Resilience.