Hillary set to join White House race

FORMER US first lady Hillary Clinton is planning to enter the race for the White House, despite earlier ruling herself out of the 2004 campaign, it was reported yesterday.

The New York Senator is expected to meet her advisers who include her husband and ex-President Bill Clinton next week to discuss the decision.

Mrs Clinton announced at the start of the summer she would not compete for the Democratic nomination even though she enjoyed huge support within the party. She was instead expected to run for the White House in 2008.

Her rethink was prompted by the sudden drop in support for President George W Bush, whose problems in Iraq and with the economy have made him look vulnerable, according to veteran US political commentator Richard Reeves.

If another Democrat defeats Mr Bush next November and then runs for re-election in 2008, Mrs Clinton's next chance to challenge for the Presidency would not be until 2012, when she will be 65 years old.

But if she does run this time she faces an already crowded field of nine Democratic hopefuls who all have a head start on her. Polls indicate that Mrs Clinton would get between 37% and 48% support from the Democratic Party nationally.