Clinton: I’m in to win presidential race

DECLARING “I’m in to win”, Democratic senator Hillary Clinton launched her 2008 presidential bid that could make her the first female president of the United States.

Ms Clinton, the wife of former president, Bill Clinton, lashed out at President George W Bush in a video on her website as she ended years of speculation over her political ambitions to declare she was joining the race.

“I’m in. And I’m in to win,” she said in the video.

“As a senator, I will spend two years doing everything in my power to limit the damage George W Bush can do. But only a new president will be able to undo Bush’s mistakes and restore our hope and optimism,” said Ms Clinton, 59.

Ms Clinton, just beginning her second term representing New York in the senate, announced she was taking the key first official step for the race for her party’s nomination and the White House with the formation of a campaign exploratory committee.

She joins a field of six other Democrats who have taken initial steps toward vying for their party’s nomination to run for president in 2008, including Barack Obama, an Illinois senator hoping to be the first black president.

Ms Clinton’s announcement closed speculation dating back to her first run for senate in 2000 that she was keen to move back into the White House and replace Mr Bush, who is serving a second and last four-year term.

“Only a new president can renew the promise of America — the idea that if you work hard, you can count on the health care, education and retirement security that you need to raise your family. These are the basic values of America that are under attack from this administration every day,” Ms Clinton said.

An Illinois-bred corporate lawyer who attended prestigious Yale Law School, Ms Clinton put Americans on notice early in her husband’s 1992 presidential campaign that she was “not the kind of woman who stays at home baking cookies.”

But Republican conservatives bristled at the idea that in electing Bill Clinton as president, voters were also getting the cerebral Hillary in a two-for-one bargain.

Her official announcement that she is setting up an exploratory committee launches what will likely prove one of the most watched primary battles in decades, between two would-be US “firsts” — potentially the first female president, and first African-American president.

Ms Clinton appears to hold a wide lead over Mr Obama for their party’s nomination.

Ms Clinton outpaced Mr Obama 41% to 17% in a poll by ABC News and The Washington Post.

The survey was taken from January 16 to 19.

Mr Obama, who announced he was setting up an exploratory committee last Tuesday, said he would announce his final decision about running on February 10 in Illinois after touring the country.

Ms Clinton announced that she would hold chats on the Internet this week to listen to voters’ views.