--- title: Chelsea Clinton: Running for Office Is a 'Definite Maybe' description: "It’s a definite no now but it’s a definite maybe in the future" canonical: https://time.com/5372660/chelsea-clinton-edinburgh-book-festival/ author: Casey Quackenbush article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-08-21T05:42:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T07:46:18.249Z article:section: Politics og:title: Chelsea Clinton: Running for Office Is a 'Definite Maybe' og:description: "It’s a definite no now but it’s a definite maybe in the future" og:url: https://time.com/5372660/chelsea-clinton-edinburgh-book-festival/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8728f2295e0e2f20/69893836929fad6cd3bf15c8/gettyimages-1019380386.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Edinburgh International Book Festival og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Chelsea Clinton: Running for Office Is a 'Definite Maybe' twitter:description: "It’s a definite no now but it’s a definite maybe in the future" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8728f2295e0e2f20/69893836929fad6cd3bf15c8/gettyimages-1019380386.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Chelsea Clinton Says She Wouldn't Rule Out Running for Political Office Someday > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=a29a2c4b-29f1-4b96-9234-0ac2b1f777ce&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Chelsea Clinton Introduces Her Mom to the Democratic Convention [Watch (HLS stream): Chelsea Clinton Introduces Her Mom to the Democratic Convention](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/421mNepd.m3u8) (1:39)  _Published 2016-07-29. After three nights of speeches by politicians and everyday Americans whose lives have been touched by the Democratic presidential nominee, delegates heard from the one person whose life Hillary Clinton has most shaped._ by [Casey Quackenbush](https://time.com/author/casey-quackenbush/) ## Casey Quackenbush Aug 21, 2018 5:42 AM UTC After three nights of speeches by politicians and everyday Americans whose lives have been touched by the Democratic presidential nominee, delegates heard from the one person whose life Hillary Clinton has most shaped. by [Casey Quackenbush](https://time.com/author/casey-quackenbush/) ## Casey Quackenbush Aug 21, 2018 5:42 AM UTC Chelsea Clinton said running for political office is a “definite no now,” but a “[definite maybe](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/20/chelsea-clinton-says-she-has-not-ruled-out-running-for-office)” in the future, the Press Association reports. Speaking at the Edinburgh international book festival, where she was touring to promote her new children’s book, the former first daughter expressed disdain over the actions of President Donald Trump and “a great amount of gratitude for what my congresswoman and my senators are doing to try to stop him at every point.” Clinton said that while she is already well represented by elected politicians, “if my city councillor were to retire, if my congresswoman were to retire, my senators, and I thought that I could make a positive impact, then I think I would really have to ask my answer to that question \[of whether to run for office\].” “For me it’s a definite no now but it’s a definite maybe in the future because who knows what the future is going to bring?” As much as Clinton disagreed with Trump, she defended his 12 year-old son Barron, who was the same age as her when her father, Bill, entered the White House. “I feel incredibly protective of Barron Trump, who is now 12 years old, the same age that I was,” she said. “I disagree with his father on everything but people have made fun of him \[Barron\], bullied him, for his appearance, or for him being more private… Equally I have no patience for that because he’s a child and he deserves a childhood as every child does.” ## Transcript [00:00] I'm here as a proud American. A proud [00:04] democrat. [ APPLAUSE ] A proud mother. [00:08] [ APPLAUSE ] And tonight in particular, [00:13] a very, very proud daughter. [ APPLAUSE ] [00:17] My parents cared about my thought. And my ideas. [00:22] And I always, always, knew how deeply they [00:26] loved me. That feeling of being valued [00:31] and loved, that's what my mom wants for every [00:35] child. [ APPLAUSE ] How does she do [00:39] it? How does she keep going? Amid the [00:44] sound and the fury of politics. Here's [00:48] how. It's because she never ever [00:53] forgets who she's fighting for. [ APPLAUSE ] I hope [00:58] That my children will someday be as proud of me as I [01:01] am of my mom. [ APPLAUSE ] I am so [01:06] grateful to be her daughter. She makes me proud [01:10] every single day. [ APPLAUSE ] [01:15] And [ APPLAUSE ] [01:18] And mom, grandma would be so, so proud of you [01:22] tonight. [ APPLAUSE ] [01:24] I know with all my heart that my mother will make us [01:29] proud as our next president. This is the [01:33] story of my mother, Hillary Clinton. 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