President Obama touted his former secretary of state’s record Saturday, hours before Hillary Clinton is expected to launch her second campaign for president.
“She was a formidable candidate in 2008,” Obama said, referring to Clinton’s failed bid for the Democratic nomination in which she narrowly lost out to him before joining his cabinet.
“She was an outstanding secretary of state. She is my friend,” Obama said at an event in Panama.
The president reminded the public he “is not on the ballot” in the upcoming race and vowed he would not “step on her lines” as the former first lady attempts to extend his party’s hold on the White House.
“In terms of her relationship with my administration, she was focused and working on really important foreign policy initiatives,” Obama said. “The one thing I can say is she is going to be able to handle herself very well in any conversations or debates about foreign policy.”
While Clinton and Obama were reportedly bitter rivals in the 2008 race, their public relationship has softened in recent years since the two served together during the president’s first term.
