“I’m not running,” former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Hudson Valley News on Monday in regard to the 2020 presidential race. By Tuesday, she was already walking it back — and suggesting that people who believed her might be sexist.
Clinton, with an emphatic shake of her head, said on Monday, “I’m not running, but I’m going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe.” (RELATED: ‘I’m Not Running’ In 2020, Hillary Claims)
EXCLUSIVE: Hillary Clinton rules out 2020 bid for first time on camera in exclusive interview with News 12’s @tararosenblum: https://t.co/qHbVY5VHjY pic.twitter.com/cTtoYqhpjg
— News12HV (@News12HV) March 5, 2019
New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman cited at least one source Tuesday who claimed Clinton had not meant her statement to be taken as literally as it apparently was. She also noted that the former Secretary of State was “surprised” that people had taken her at her word.
Spoke to someone close with Clinton in contact with her today. They say she wasn’t trying to be emphatic and close the door on running when she spoke to a local reporter yesterday, and that she was surprised by how definitively it played. 1/2
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 6, 2019
She then indicated that Clinton was waiting on the Mueller report but said that a run was still “extremely unlikely” and appeared to suggest that that public interest in her final decision might be sexist. “She remains bothered that she’s expected to close the door on it when, say, John Kerry isn’t,” the source reportedly told Haberman.
The person also says she is extremely unlikely to run, but that she remains bothered that she’s expected to close the door on it when, say, John Kerry isn’t. She has told her team she is waiting at least to see the Mueller report. 2/2
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 6, 2019
Clinton herself appeared to respond to the flurry of stories announcing her decision not to run.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 5, 2019