Politiquotes

New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton had expressed interest in the 2008 United States presidential race since at least October 2002, drawing media speculation on whether or not she would become a candidate. No woman has ever been nominated by a major party to run for President in the history of U.S. presidential elections. Clinton is also the first wife of an American president to run for president.

On January 20, 2007, she announced that she was forming an exploratory committee and filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Subsequently she began heavy fundraising and campaigning activities. For several months Clinton led opinion polls among Democratic candidates by substantial margins, until Senator Barack Obama pulled close to or even with her. Clinton then regained her lead, winning many polls by double digits; by autumn 2007 she was leading all other Democratic candidates by wide margins in national polls. However, she placed third in the Iowa caucus to Barack Obama and John Edwards.