Daily Beast's Jacobs: Democrats Have Many 2016 Choices

Formidable Democrats are in the wings if former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton decides not to seek the party's nomination for president in 2016, says Ben Jacobs, a reporter for The Daily Beast.

They include New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Jacobs told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

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"Every indication is that Cuomo won't consider running if Hillary's running. If she doesn't run, he'd run, and it's a question of how well he'd play in early states," Jacobs said Tuesday.

"Schweitzer is someone who sort of has been taking some interesting tactics. He seemed poised to run for Senate for Montana, a race that he'd almost certainly win, and backed out at the last minute. He'd be an interesting candidate.

"And O'Malley is sort of going through all of the steps that one takes as a run for president, and if Hillary doesn't run, I'm almost certain that Gov. O'Malley would run."

Dean, Jacobs says, has "made noises about it."

But he adds, "Running for president is a very different thing than being a credible candidate for president . . . I suggest Howard Dean 2016 would be the second coming of George McGovern 1984."

As for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, whose name has been bandied in political circles in recent weeks, don't count on her throwing her hat in the ring, Jacobs says.

"I don't think Elizabeth Warren runs for president regardless of what Hillary Clinton does — regardless of if Hillary Clinton runs, if Hillary Clinton doesn't run, if Hillary Clinton decides to move to Canada and run for prime minister. It doesn't matter what the scenario is," Jacobs said.

"If she did run, she'd be a very formidable candidate, even against Hillary, but my impression is that I don't think it's something she has an ambition to do."

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