Hillary Clinton On Being Vice President: 'I Have Absolutely No Interest' (VIDEO)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dismissed rumors on Wednesday that she will replace Vice President Biden on the 2012 ticket.

"I have absolutely no interest and no reason for doing anything other than dismissing these stories and moving on. We have so much to do and I think we're both happy doing what we're doing," Clinton said at Fortune magazine's "Most Powerful Women" summit.

The rumors began Tuesday after Bob Woodward said in a CNN interview that the possibility is "on the table."

Clinton's response mirrors those of Administration officials.

"Just absolutely not true. It's not a discussion that's happened," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told The New York Times.

"There's absolutely nothing to it," David Axelrod, President Obama's senior adviser, told The Washington Post.

Clinton, for her part, says it's one more reason to distrust media.

"With all due respect, I don't believe anything I read in the press," Clinton said in response to a question from Ann Moore asking her to confirm or deny the rumors.

"I think the Vice President is doing a wonderful job. He's a great friend of mine. We work closely. He's an expert on foreign policy. I have absolutely no interest and no reason for doing anything other than dismissing these stories and moving on. We have so much to do and I think we're both happy," she said at the event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC. "We have a great relationship."

WATCH an excerpt of the interview below:

When asked in her wide-ranging interview whom she considers to be the wisest person on the planet right now, Clinton responded "Nelson Mandela" without hesitation, adding that "he was incredibly inspirational to me and still is."

She also told the story how President Obama called her to Chicago to ask her to be his Secretary of State, calling it "one of the hardest professional decisions I've ever made."

"It worked out well," Clinton told her audience. "We have a wonderful working relationship" she said, acknowledging that there was a lot of chatter about whether the two would would be able to work together.

Clinton says it's proven to be a valuable lesson that she hopes to impart to other world leaders.

"I say look I spent a year and a half trying to win and to beat President Obama. I was not successful. It was a really hard-fought campaign, our supporters said a lot of nasty things about each of us... But at the end of the day when the president asked me to serve with him and for our country I agreed to do that because we both love our country. And it's fascinating how so many political leaders and media leaders in these various countries look so surprised. And I really force them to think about what it takes to overcome the back and forth..."

Comments

[mxytsplyk]

09:58 PM on 11/18/2010

Posters are right - The SecState is too smart to hitch her wagon to this falling star. The bad part is we may have to wait till 2016 to finally elect her. God only knows what the GOP will have done to the country by then..

[DCDave]

09:14 AM on 10/14/2010

Why would she share a ticket with the titanic in 2012. She should just be watching the poll numbers and figuring out who is going to break the news to Obama that he is unelectable for a second term, then figure out when to start campaigning.

[Marissa Schiffman]

08:51 PM on 10/08/2010

This rumour about "Hillary the Vice President" must be floated by the White House either to influence November elections or to see public reaction to the idea. I am a registered democrat. However, I will not vote for Obama again whoever is on the VP ticket. He hasn't done one good thing for the country. First he single-mindedly pursued his own agenda about healthcare reform without reaching out to the opposition nor listening to the general public's concern. Then he tried to win hispanic votes by suing Arizona. When the time comes, he wouldn't hesitate to dump Biden and use Hillary to boost his flagging popularity. The guy is there for his own glory and agenda. The country's pressing needs such as illegal immigration, unemployment, weak economy and soaring healthcare costs are nowhere on his priority list. Everybody can see that he is a failure domestically and in foreign affairs. He ruined the relationship with America's principal allies like Great Britain, Japan and Israel while he tried to embrace America's enemies in his vain attempt to make new "friends". No wonder his top aides are leaving in droves. Who would want their names tainted by his misguided pursuits? If the democrats do not come up with an alternative presidential candidate, I willd definitely vote republican in 2012. If the democrats do not shape up, they will be shipped out en masse together with their incompetent leader.

[DCDave]

09:15 AM on 10/14/2010

I am a democrat too and acknowledge that Obama's Presidency is a complete failure.

[SparkyDash]

06:28 AM on 10/08/2010

This will never happen and for very good reasons.

Move on people...

[VOTER]

12:01 PM on 10/07/2010

Hillary is doing a great job right now and it is a very challenging one.
She respects President Obama and VP Biden.
IMO, she is very happy with the current standings and will support
an Obama/Biden Victory in 2012.

[Jerry Lammers]

11:36 AM on 10/07/2010

Instead, maybe Hillary Clinton will be the Eugene McCarthy of the 2012 Democratic Primaries and become our next President, replacing the current one.

[pbnyc59]

11:13 AM on 10/07/2010

Lets hope she runs for the top spot in 2012, Obama buyers remorse.

[noudidnt]

04:35 PM on 10/07/2010

GOP concern tr 0 11

[massjim]

09:58 AM on 10/07/2010

"I have absolutely no interest and no reason for doing anything other than dismissing these stories and moving on."

Folks - those are weasel words worthy of her husband. She isn't saying she's not interested in the job, just not interested in admitting it and verifying the stories.

[Recycle congress]

09:57 AM on 10/07/2010

If Hillary decides to run in 2016, she will be 69 years old. Anyone remember the dems talking about John McCain's age in the last election? He was only 1 or 2 years older than Hillary will be at that time. I'll bet all of a sudden it will be OK with the dems. to be nearly 70 and run for prez.................

[nubret2008]

10:41 AM on 10/07/2010

Hillary was never a POW and women statistically get older - that enuff?

[VOTER]

12:04 PM on 10/07/2010

Your comparison is the best laugh of the day for the AM run. 
It may end up being the Winner of the Day. Stay tuned.

Thanks.
ROFL

[Billyguitar]

09:02 AM on 10/07/2010

I think Hillary is clearly a woman that needs a challenge, VP ain't it.

[Macready]

08:21 AM on 10/07/2010

hilary? help no way . . . . she would be a rotten choice . . . . she should have stayed in the senate . . . there is no way she would united the Dems . . .she didn't have enough support to become prez . . my guess is that she has alienated many of those supporters by her ineffectualness as sos . . . the only people she would carry are the die-hard hilary people . . .

[alumtrix]

09:49 AM on 10/07/2010

Hillary was winning the election up until they hit a group of states that caucused to pick the winner. Obama had a plan for the Caucasus to which Hillary did not. I won't go as far as to say that Obama rigged or stole the election but that scenario will not happen again if Hillary decides to run.
I think the results of these midterms will help determine whether Hillary runs again in 2012 or thinks it's best to wait til 2016. Either way, Obama has lost tremendous support in less than 2 years and the dem candidates running right now cannot even campaign on his coat tails.

[Macready]

10:20 AM on 10/07/2010

obama made a big mistake in appointing hilary and biden . . . they are too aipac for the message he delivered when he was campaigning for the presidency . . . . I could never support hilary for anything . . she voted for the illegal invasion of Iraq, she was the only Dem senator to vote for kyl/lieberman . .she seems to put her foot in her mouth as Sos . . . and then has to issue another statement clarifying what she said . .she just does not have it . . I have never understood the pro-hilary crowed at all . . . . and I doubt I ever will

[texastrixie]

08:15 AM on 10/07/2010

Hillary Clinton is telling the truth. She has no interest in being vice president. Although I think she will not serve as Secretary of State if Obama is re-elected, I wish she could be switched to replace Gates at SOD. However, since pushing middle eastern peace seems to be one big Obama/Clinton goal, she probably wouldn't be able to switch till there is some progress on that.

I don't think she take more than another few years as SOS, its simply too tiring. She's constantly on the move, and no other political position would be quite as taxing.


I thought there was no chance someone older (60's Boomer) could be elected again, but I think that may have been a wrong assumption. Whether HC would want to take on the poisonous life of a democratic presidency may not be as asssured as it once was. If you can't accomplish anything useful for the American public, why serve? While a new President Clinton might try to get real health care reform (single payor) through the Congress, is there any reason to think the general public would believe the president over Glenn Beck's interpretation of this legislation?

Whatever Hillary decides to do, I will support her. Still glad I voted for Obama, but after watching him be ground down by the GOP, even young people may understand that a little political savy may be worth as much as idealism to truly get things done.

[peegan]

07:22 AM on 10/07/2010

Unless Biden becomes incapacitated, Hillery will not be running in 2012 as V.P. Not going to happen. I do see her possibly becoming Sec. of Defence, and running for President in 2016.

[Redemption Song]

06:32 AM on 10/07/2010

I'd be very surprised if Biden wasn't Obama's running make for second term--Biden hasn't done anything to desrve "the boot"...and swapping out a VP & SS sounds silly on its face.

[petermac51]

06:18 AM on 10/07/2010

With all due respect Secretary Clinton, I don't believe anything politicians say.
Come to think of it, did't you say as a Senator from NY you were very happy with your job and had no interest in running for President. These clowns really think we're morons.

[kobrock1]

06:27 AM on 10/07/2010

I couldn't agree more, and in this specific instance, everyone knows that an Obama/Clinton ticket is being considered.  Biden brings nothing to the table, and Obama's going to need all of the help he can get, provided he's even thinking about a second term.  

[SparkyDash]

06:25 AM on 10/08/2010

Biden brings everything to the table and the best thing Obama has in his administration.

Keep up...

[GaBu2]

06:29 AM on 10/07/2010

Many people are. So the 'clowns' aren't incorrect.

[petermac51]

06:33 AM on 10/07/2010

Good point, that's why we're in the mess we're in..If we're counting on those knukleheads to create jobs, we're doomed..Give me more Steve Jobs and Bloombergs.