Sorry, Joe.
Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama will sit down together for a joint interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday.
Notably, it’s the first interview the president has ever done on U.S. television with anyone besides his wife.
Hardball’s Chris Matthews said on Friday that the interview will fuel more rumors that Clinton’s running for president in 2016, especially after her “smash hit” testifying on Benghazi earlier this week.
“As Secretary Clinton transitions from public service to private life, anything she does will be studied for clues to her future and a potential presidential run. A joint appearance with the president can only add to the speculation,” he said.
So is the interview a thank you for Clinton’s service, or an investment for Obama?
Ed Rendell, former Pennsylvania governor and msnbc political analyst, told Matthews it was both, noting Clinton has a favorability rating that’s 20 points higher than the president.
“She might be helping him a little bit too, reminding people, I think, that the best single decision President Obama made was appointing his rival to be secretary of state. The relationship they forged is a great relationship…Is it a tribute to Hillary that he’s doing this? Of course it is. Does it mean necessarily that if Hillary decides to run for president that President Obama will be for her? No.”
Rendell added Obama also owes Vice President Joe Biden–who is rumored to be considering a presidential run in 2016—a “debt of gratitude.” But he surmised at the end of the day Obama might step in and convince Biden not to run should Clinton decide to throw her hat into the ring.
Obama might say, “Look, you can’t stand in the way of history. This is history, it’s a tidal wave. You’ve done a great job. But this is not something you should get involved in.”
Marjorie Margolies, a former member of Congress from Pennsylvania and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said Obama and Clinton’s relationship from the beginning has been “extremely special.”
“I think [the interview] is a wonderful chance for both of them,” added Margolies, whose son, Marc is married to Chelsea Clinton.
Margolies said she thinks it’s still too early to know if Clinton will run for president.
“I honestly do not know whether she thinks the answer is yes…I think she needs to rest, get her mojo back, and I don’t think she’s going to be bored,” she said.
