Hillary Clinton leaves door open to second term as Secretary of State

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

/ JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has long said she'll step down as Secretary of State if President Obama is re-elected. But in light of the recent violence in Benghazi, Libya, and amid chatter of a 2016 presidential bid, Clinton suggests the door to a second term is not entirely closed.

"A lot of people have talked to me about staying," Clinton told the Wall Street Journal, though she said it was "unlikely" she'd agree.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Journal, during which Clinton accepted responsibility for the recent attacks in Libya, the popular Secretary of State reflected on the difficulties of the presidency.

"I know probably better than anyone...the difficult issues and hard questions he has to grapple with," she said, of Mr. Obama.

She insisted, not for the first time, that she has no interest in taking on those responsibilities in the future.

"I have ruled it out," Clinton told the Journal, of a presidential bid. "It's important for me to step off this incredibly high wire I've been on... to take stock of the rest of my life."

[Kristin789]

Hillary sounds as if she would be comfortable staying on for months. With Obama reelected, there is no need for a sharp cut off date for her as Secretary of State. I am hoping she will stay on until Spring while the nonsense about Susan Rice dies down. They I hope Hillary--after six months well-deserved R&R-- will receive from Obama and accept an Ambassadorship to the World's women.

[donotfear2012]

Back in 2008, I have would have voted for her as President over Mr. Obama. Now, she is either proven to be totally incompetent OR the most loyal lap dog ever to hold the position of Secretary of State since Colin Powell. She has only one way to redeem the CLINTON reputation; tell the truth about Benghazi. If it was her policy to force the security conditions to "normal" then so be it. I doubt this was her mandate. This "fog of war" argument is ridiculous. The ONLY source of intel suggesting that the attack sprung from a protest over the "Innocence" video came from a Obama campaign staff worker that found a Youtube video where one of the looters at the consulate (AFTER the attack was over) stated that he was angry about the "Innocence" degradation of the prophet.

[olsonpack]

Romney will rule it out!

[wfw3536]

I use to think Ms Clinton could be president, however after her incompetence of this Libya situation I feel she should resign. It is sad she would cover up her and the Obama administrations incompetence. The most troubling part of Libya is there was no reason for 4 brave Americans to die, when they had made requests for more security, the consulate was bombed earlier, and the list goes on and on. And what do we have Obama and Clinton doing, bragging about how they had the terrorist on the run when these two folks were asleep and let 4 Americans die needlessly.

[jwolfe2010]

So she takes the heat and goes under the bus for Obama in the Benghazi cover-up... and in return is promised a job extension leading to a Presidential run in 2016. Makes perfect sense.

[Harry1899]

Hillary will have plenty of time after noon on January 20th to "step off this incredibly high wire" she's been on and "take stock" of the rest of her life. Plenty, plenty, plenty of time to do all that.

[-EmpireGeorge________-]

Hillary, the conductor who orchestrated the Arab Spring, who ushered the Muslim Brotherhood into power, is not only WON'T be getting a second term, she'll be out of a job, come Jan.20th......America is tired of Obama coddling terrorists, helping Al Qaeda (Rebels) gain power and overthrow governments.

The time has come for NEW leadership as President.

[jcnbma]

You are psychotic, my friend. People like you have ruined this country by putting the likes of George W. Failure in office. I wish folks like you would pack up and go live in some third world country where your whining would be more appropriate.

[MoAnimus]

She doesn't do Bill (that's Monica's job), but she did blow $2.2 million in a search for Amelia Earhart.

[mateoenfuego]

LOL

"I have ruled it out," Clinton told the Journal, of a presidential bid. "It's important for me to step off this incredibly high wire I've been on... to take stock of the rest of my life."

But she left the door open? haha

[ManOfSteel-Velvet]

Try to read the article very s-l-o-w-ly. Mrs. Clinton told Wall Street Journal that she ruled out presidential bid.

But she may reconsider staying on as Secretary of State on Obama's second term even though Mrs. Clinton has said it is "unlikely" that she would.

Clinton saying that because she wants:

1) To provide a sense of stability for Obama's foreign policy. 2) To appeal to woman voters in this close election.
3) and more importantly, to deal with the fallout in Benghazi, the rising violence in Islamic world, the prospect of a nuclear Iran, the rise of China power, ...

Get it?