One of Hillary Clinton’s key Iowa supporters in 2008 says it’s a “pretty early” to be shouting: “Run, Hillary, Run.” New York Senator Chuck Schumer did just that last Saturday at the end of a speech in Des Moines, but former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack isn’t following suit.
“With due respect to Senator Schumer, it’s pretty early to be talking about 2016,” Vilsack said today. “We still have 2014 elections to be concerned about and it seems like we just got over the 2013 elections.”
Vilsack ran for president himself early in the 2008 election cycle, but dropped out of the race in early 2007 and backed Clinton’s 2008 bid for the White House. Vilsack endorsed Obama after Clinton dropped out of the race and he campaigned for Obama throughout the summer and fall of 2008. Vilsack has been serving as Obama’s secretary of agriculture since January, 2009.
“The decision to run for president is a very personal one. Having myself made it, I know the thought that has to go into it and I want to respect Secretary Clinton’s ability to make that decision on her own, based on whatever criteria she decides,” Vilsack said today. “Obviously I have a great deal of respect for her. Obviously I think she would be a great president, but it’s a little early and hopefully folks recognize that and give her enough space and time to make that decision on her own.”
Vilsack made his comments during taping of the Iowa Public Television program “Iowa Press” which airs tonight at 7:30.
Vilsack and his wife, Christie, endorsed Hillary Clinton at a news conference in late May of 2007. Clinton and Christie Vilsack’s late brother, Tom Bell, were lawyers who worked on a congressional committee gathering evidence on the Watergate scandal of the 1970s. Clinton campaigned for Tom Vilsack when he first ran for governor back in 1998.