Bill Clinton says Hillary once told him she’d never run for office

Hillary Clinton is joined onstage by Bill Clinton at her 2016 campaign kickoff rally in New York. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

When Bill Clinton first proposed to Hillary, he told her, “I want you to marry me, but you shouldn’t do it.”

The future president told the future first lady-turned-senator-turned-secretary of state-turned-presidential candidate that he wanted her to get into politics instead.

“Oh, my God,” Hillary responded. “I’ll never run for office. I’m too aggressive, and nobody will ever vote for me.”

Clinton recalled his preengagement conversation in a joint interview with former President George W. Bush for Time magazine’s upcoming cover story, “Game of Thrones: Time Talks 2016 With the Most Surprising Couple in Politics.”

Given that it was the early 1970s, it’s not terribly surprising Hillary would feel that way. Just 15 women served in Congress between 1971 and 1973, according to Senate and House historical data.

But it was Bill who initially put his political ambitions on hold for Hillary. A month after they met at Yale Law School in 1971, Clinton abandoned his plans to work as a coordinator for Sen. George McGovern’s presidential campaign in order to move with Hillary to California.

“I screwed up my courage and asked Hillary if I could spend the summer with her,” Clinton recalled in his 2004 autobiography. “I told her I’d have the rest of my life for my work and my ambition, but I loved her and I wanted to see if it could work out for us.”

During the Time interview, which was conducted earlier this month at Bush’s office in Dallas, the former presidents talked about their unlikely friendship, their advice for President Obama as he winds down his final term, and the limited roles they say they’ll play in their family members’ respective 2016 campaigns.

“You know, I’m pulling for Jeb as hard as I can pull for him,” Bush said of his brother. “If he needs my help, he’ll call me. Otherwise I’m on the sidelines, and happily so.”

Clinton also sees himself sitting on the sidelines of Hillary’s campaign.

“I think most of my role will be giving advice if I’m asked for it,” Clinton said. “And I try not to even offer it at home unless I’m asked. But she’s been pretty good about asking every now and then.”