1【Hillary Clinton 2016? Bill Has 'No Earthly Idea'】
“I just don't know. she's an extraordinarily able person. i never met anybody i thought was a better public servant. but I have no earthly idea what she’ll decide to do.”
The big news here? That’s not a “no.” It’s not a yes either, which makes it a political news cycle’s dream.
As President Obama’s current Secretary of State, Mrs. Clinton consistently polls the highest among the administration’s cabinet members. A Gallup poll earlier this year put her favorability rating at 66 percent. And a series of memes on Tumblr — “Texts From Hillary Clinton” — went viral, picking up 45,000 Tumblr followers.
But despite Mr. Clinton’s public uncertainty about his wife’s political future, some believe he might be doing his part to make sure the conditions are right if she does decide to run. Referring to the former president’s widely-praised recent speech at the Democratic National Convention —
“I wanna nominate a man who’s cool on the outside, but who burns for America on the inside.”
The New York Times’ Brian Knowlton writes ...
“Mr. Clinton’s strong defense of Mr. Obama in his speech at the Democratic National Convention fueled a sense that he might be helping keep the Clinton brand before the public eye, and not just for his own sake.”
But at this point Mrs. Clinton — who will step down from her post as the Secretary of State at the end of President Obama’s first term — may just as likely retire. In fact, she’s hinted as much in the recent past. In the Face the Nation interview Mr. Clinton said she’s “tired,” and wants to take some time off and write a book. And PolicyMic adds, by 2016...
“...Hillary will be 69 years old, and, if she were to win, would make her the second oldest person to be elected president in U.S. history.”
Not to mention — and the former president pointed this out Sunday, too — there are a few other prominent Dems keeping their powder dry for 2016: Including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, and — more recently — San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.
2【Clinton Global Initiative Kicks Off】
Transcript:It’s a mini-UN-before-the-UN, and it’s bringing President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and Libya’s Mohammed Magreif, all in the same place in New York to talk about turning ideas into action.
That’s the stated goal of the annual Clinton Global Initiative , which former President Bill Clinton started in 2005, the story goes, after frustration with conferences that never resulted in action. ( VIDEO VIA COMEDY CENTRAL )
And while you can expect lots of big lofty speeches — the idea is that if someone makes a promise or commitment they don’t keep, they don’t get invited back.
A CGI spokesman told reporters since 2005, 2,100 commitments have been made, which have touched people in 180 countries.
That includes the creation of the Cherie Blair Foundation, which is helping female entrepreneurs in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.
Clinton has been making the media rounds in recent days ahead of the summit, where business leaders who’ve made headway in anti-poverty initiatives and environmental policy will be touted and praised.
Both President Obama and Mitt Romney are expected to address the summit Tuesday.