What will Hillary Clinton do next? Multiple media outlets have raised this question since January when Clinton announced that she would step down as Secretary of State after President Obama's first term came to a close.
Hillary, once a symbol of a bygone era of Clinton and Bush administrations, has experienced something of a Renaissance over the past year. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet (see: Texts From Hillary) and her record-breaking schedule as Secretary of State, she became hip again -- and the member of Obama's cabinet with the highest approval rating, leading to a whole lot of speculation over whether Hillary would be running for president again in 2016.
Although Clinton has repeatedly said that she won't be gunning for the presidential office in four years -- she's stated that she plans to spend her upcoming free time watching a lot more HGTV -- that hasn't stopped people from speculating -- at length -- about a Hillary 2016 ticket. Just look at a Reddit thread posted on November 11th, pegged to a quote from a New York Times piece on "Hillary's Next Move." The quote illcited comments like these:
"Of course she's going to run again. That's why she's stepping down as SecState -- to gear up for another campaign."
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"Yup. I remember how tired she looked during the 2008 campaign. She's undoubtedly going to use this time to rest and relax before the campaign starts to gear up in 2015."
It seems like everyone is weighing in on what Hillary should do next, the media most of all. As it turns out, there are a whole lot of ways to express, "I have no idea what Hillary will do next but will talk about it anyway."
Here are eight things people have to say about Hillary's next steps.
The Week's Marc Ambinder: "If I had to bet, I'd bet that she decides to run, if only because she will feel that destiny and circumstance have put her in the right place at the right time. She may feel that she owes it to young women and those who supported her to finish the marathon of American politics. But she might well decide that her legacy is secure, her popularity is intact, her financial prospects are bright, and her future lies with advocacy from the outside and grand-mothering."
New York Times' Gail Collins: "If Hillary Clinton ran for president again, she would probably be the best-prepared candidate in American history: one who’s lived in the White House, served in the United States Senate, a woman who knows virtually every head of state in the world and also has a strong opinion about the merits of the Peruvian minister of development and social inclusion."
Bill Clinton on CBS' "Face the Nation": "I have no earthly idea what she'll decide to do."
New York Magazine's John Heilemann: "Speculation on that topic is rife within the Clinton diaspora; no one has a clue as to whether or not Hillary will run. But, equally, no one doubts that her husband dearly wants her to -- mainly because, among members of the tribe, he can’t shut up about it."
Elle's Rachel Combe: "Many of Hillary's closest colleagues will admit off the record that they wish their beloved boss would run for president—whether or not it's best for her personally. And they will allow that there's always the possibility. Anything can happen in American politics in four years. It wouldn't be wise to count Hillary Clinton out just yet."
The Washington Post's Stephanie McCrummen: "The truth is, though, that no one is sure what Hillary Clinton will do, possibly not even Clinton herself."
The Guardian's Suzanne Goldenberg: "Four years is an eternity in politics, however, and it is unclear what economic and political landscape will emerge when it is time for Clinton to make a final decision about another run for the White House. A new generation of female leaders is rising in the Senate."
Jezebel's Doug Barry: "Clinton has been annoyingly evasive about what her next (professional) step will be, which is fine because she's probably tired and it's nobody's business anyway."
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