Ed Rendell: "It's going to be Hillary" in 2016
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said repeatedly she's not interested in another presidential run - but former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says he doesn't believe her.
"It's going to be Hillary Clinton in 2016," Rendell was quoted as saying in Monday's New York Post.
In a separate interview with Politico, Rendell argued that Clinton would be unable to "resist" a chance at president in 2016.
"I think, and this is just my thinking, that if she leaves after the president's first term is over and she leaves and she teaches, does something like that, and rests, I think the possibility of being president and being the first woman president in history would probably be too much for her to resist," Rendell told Politico.
"Her life is public service, that's all she cares about, and I dont think she's ready to retire," he added.
Clinton has repeatedly ruled out a future presidential bid, and has said she will be leaving public officesoon after the end of President Obama's first presidential term.
Rendell, who supported Clinton in the 2008 election, told Politico that he thinks she'll change her mind after some time off.
"She is of a mind not to do it now," he said. "But I tell people I think it's because she's tired. There's probably no tougher job physically than Secretary of State, because you're traveling constantly. At this point it's very difficult for her to focus on anything other than doing her job."
He also referenced a group of remaining Clinton supporters that he said is "constantly cajoling her" to run for president again - though, he maintained, the existence of such a group had no bearing on Mr. Obama's performance.
"It's not a question of being dissatisfied with Obama, it's just that there's going to be a race in 2016," Rendell said. "We believed she deserved to be president in '08, but it's our belief and not hers. We're constantly cajoling her."
