Opens up about her presidential run, family, and everyday life
Hillary Clinton is a star prospect for the 2016 US presidential race. After remaining silent despite much speculation, she finally sat down for an interview for the first time since stepping down as secretary of state. In an interview published in New York Magazine on September 22, she opened up about running for the next presidential race and returning to life as an ordinary citizen. Also in the article were opinions of Hillary’s close aides.
Positive about the presidential bid
“Will Hillary Clinton run for US president in 2016?” This is the question asked by all Americans as well as the whole world, but her answer was vague. She did react positively to the question, however, saying “I’m both pragmatic and realistic … and I will do whatever I can from whatever position I find myself in to advocate for the values and the policies I think are right for the country.”
However, she kept quiet about when she will make that decision. “The election is more than 3 years away, and I just don’t think it’s good for the country,” Clinton told the magazine. “I’m not in a hurry. I think it’s a serious decision, not to be made lightly, but it’s also not one that has to be made soon.”
Melanne Verveer, an aide since Hillary was first lady, described her as someone who “doesn’t repeat her mistakes.” She explained, “[Hillary] really learns from her mistakes. She analyzes, ‘What went wrong here?’” Another one of Clinton’s longtime friends said, “She’s running for it, and she’s also convinced herself she hasn’t made up her mind. She’s going to run for president. It’s a foregone conclusion.”
Waning presence of Bill Clinton
Bill and Hillary Clinton have now become the most celebrated politician couple in American history. New York Magazine stated, “Hillary used her tenure at State for a more intimate purpose: to shift the balance of power.”
Bill Clinton wielded considerable influence on Hillary’s 2008 campaign for Democratic nomination. He stood by her all through the campaign, which gave them the nickname “the Clintons.”
However, since becoming secretary of state, Bill Clinton started losing presence. A close state aide recalled, “It’s kind of jarring when she says ‘Bill.’ Well, who’s Bill? … Then you were kind of like, Oh, the president.”
In a September 22 interview with CNN, Bill Clinton avoided responding to questions about Hillary’s potential presidential run, saying “I think she would be the first to tell that there is no such thing as a done deal, ever, by anybody. But I don’t know what she is going to do.”
Enjoying everyday life after leaving office
Currently neither one of the Clintons is in elected office for the first time in 10 years. Hillary Clinton said she is enjoying the pleasures of everyday life.
When Hillary was in the State office, she often communicated with Bill Clinton by phone, but they were rarely in the same country. “We get to be at home together a lot more now than we used to in the last few years,” explained Hillary. “We have a great time; we laugh at our dogs; we watch stupid movies; we take long walks; we go for a swim. You know, just ordinary, everyday pleasures.”
She seems to be living the moment to the fullest. She said, “I have been on this high wire for 20 years, and I was really yearning to just have more control over my time and my life, spend a lot of that time with my family and my friends, do things that I find relaxing and enjoyable, and return to the work that I had done for most of my life.”
Another rising star in the Clinton family, also known as “Clintonworld,” is their daughter Chelsea. The family foundation was newly named as “Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation” and is holding various events such as “Clinton Global Initiative.” This has led to much speculation about Chelsea entering into politics. The foundation, however, did not seem to welcome Chelsea’s sudden involvement at the foundation.
