Hillary Clinton is not running for president again in 2020 — and her ex-campaign chair seems quite sure of that.
John Podesta said as much in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Tuesday.
WATCH: Dec. 17, 2018 — Hillary Clinton writes letter to 8-year-old girl who lost class president election
“First of all, I love her. I wish she was president,” Podesta said.
“She would have been a great president, but she says she’s not running for president, I think this is media catnip.”
“I take her at her word, she’s not running for president.”
Podesta offered similar remarks to the New York Post, again saying “media catnip” when asked about reports that Clinton would once again challenge for the presidency.
Speculation that Clinton would again run for president was touched off in November, when former Clinton pollster Mark Penn and ex-New York City Council president Andrew Stein wrote an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal titled, “Hillary Will Run Again.”
Further speculation was touched off when CNN White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny said Monday that Clinton is “telling people that she’s not closing the doors to the idea of running in 2020.”
READ MORE: ‘I am cheering you on’ — Hillary Clinton tells 8-year-old girl who lost class president vote
Zeleny said three people told him this, but that it didn’t mean there was a “campaign-in-waiting, or a plan in the works.”
Podesta said Tuesday that the Democratic Party already has a “lot of great candidates out there,” and that the party primary is “going to be a spirited one.”
Declared candidates include California Sen. Kamala Harris, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Maryland Rep. John Delaney and Obama-era housing and urban development secretary Julian Castro.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has formed an exploratory committee with a view toward seeking the Democratic nomination.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has been the subject of reports suggesting that he’ll mount another run for the party’s nomination, but he hasn’t made it official.
Former U.S. vice-president Joe Biden has said he’s approaching a decision on whether to run in 2020, CNN reported Monday.
Comments