Is Clinton Repeating 2004 Mistakes?
BLITZER: Hillary Clinton was out in public once again today, this time in New York's East Harlem neighborhood. She hasn't even declared her candidacy for 2016 but our new poll shows a big turnaround in a hypothetical 2016 matchup with Chris Christie. She now leads 55 percent to 39 percent. But is Hillary Clinton already peeking too soon, repeating some of the mistakes that cost her back in 2008? That's the conclusion of some current and former Obama aides in an article by the BuzzFeed editor-in-chief, Ben Smith. Ben is joining us now, along with "New York Times" political reporter, Amy Chozick. Guys, thanks very much for coming in. Amy, as a lot of our viewers will remember, wrote the controversial cover story -- I guess it was controversial because of the cover, not the article so much in "The New York Times" Sunday magazine last weekend. Ben, let me get to you first. Some of these current and former Obama aides think this is really early for all this buzz, if you will, about Hillary Clinton. Give us -- give us an uptick on what they told you.</s>BEN SMITH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, BUZZFEED.COM: And I think they're less concerned about the chatter, which is pretty inevitable. I mean, she's the obvious frontrunner, than they are -- that she's building this -- and people associated with her, with her tacit blessing are building and have built this big infrastructure around her, a group to raise large sums of money, a group to raise smaller sums of money and have -- do grassroots organizing. A group to do rapid response. And basically, you know, they worry that what happened in 2007, really, which is that she built this big machine but never figured out a message or a rationale for a candidacy. It's happening now -- the structure that gets ahead of, you know, what -- and I don't think anybody has really answered the question which is, if she was going to run for president, why would she do that?</s>BLITZER: Have you seen a message or some sort of structure out there already developing from her supporters, Amy?</s>AMY CHOZICK, POLITICAL REPORTER, NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I think you mentioned the event today. You know, they'd really like us to focus on those events that she's doing. She held an event with Bill De Blasio, talking about early childhood development. She's talking about a lot of those issues. Income inequality, a big buzz word for Democrats right now. And she's talking about those a lot right now and she's probably wishing that those were getting attention instead of some of the polls that are out there.</s>BLITZER: Because the argument is --</s>BLITZER: Over the years, Ben, is it's never too early, you can't -- you've got to get -- you've got to get in this process of -- especially a presidential election, you've got to get in there early and you've got to work literally every day until the election.</s>SMITH: You know, I mean, there's a bit of damned if you do, damned if you don't here. If there was no infrastructure, that people would probably be saying, why aren't you creating, you know, shadow groups to organize on your behalf. I mean, one of the -- perhaps it's interesting is the fact that people are belly aching is that Obama aides are willing to go on the record taking shots at her organization now.</s>BLITZER: Are they concerned that maybe she's getting too much exposure, Amy?</s>CHOZICK: Well, I thought that. And I thought Ben's story was really interesting in terms of them willing to go on record. I also thought -- I mean, this might be a way to -- give her operational lesson but it also might be, you know, some Obama Democrats are still hoping to see some challenger and to have a real debate in the Democratic Party about what they stand for, looking at someone like Elizabeth Warren, someone on the left to challenge her.</s>BLITZER: Yes, go ahead, Ben.</s>SMITH: There's a real ambivalence -- I mean, I think there's a real ambivalence among the people who beat Hillary Clinton in 2007, 2008, about whether they want her to be the successor, whether they want Obama to be, you know, this president between two Clintons. I mean, what you hear from people around Obama himself is that he doesn't -- you know, he doesn't care that much. He didn't get to be president by devoting his life to caring about other people's campaigns. But I think -- you know, but I think at some point, you know, if she's the nominee, she -- it'll all kick in, that, you know, she can secure his legacy in a way that Republicans might reverse it. I think people -- if she's the nominee -- do eventually get on board, but I do think there's a lot of ambivalence around Obama now.</s>BLITZER: Were you surprised the other day when she had an event? Usually, what, she gives a speech before a trade association or something like that. She -- those speeches are closed doors to the media but she opened it up including to Q&A; afterwards. Amy, were you a surprised by that decision?</s>CHOZICK: Well, I was surprised at her frankness in talking about Benghazi. That was really the first time since she left the State Department that she really addressed it. Said it was her biggest regret. And I think of course that got a lot of attention. Also you mentioned the decision to open it up to press. Obviously most of her paid speeches are not open to press so that might signal something, especially that they wanted people to pay attention to that Benghazi reference.</s>BLITZER: Yes. And, Ben, you have a quote in there from one of her top aides, Philippe Reines, who says this, and I'll put it up on the screen. "Hillary Clinton is not a candidate. Unless and until she is we're not going to act like one. I respect Ben," referring to Ben LaBolt, the former Obama aide. "But I think many of the -- on the president's team would say doing so -- anyone doing so this far out wouldn't make sense." Do you see any tension developing between Camp Hillary and the Obama team?</s>SMITH: Well, it's -- I mean, it's actually somewhat more complicated than that. You know, there are -- there are supporters of Clinton who maybe think they're getting out too early. There are certainly supporters of Obama who are working for these new Clinton institutions. <17:45:02> I mean, you know, it's the Democratic Party. It's going to be messy.</s>BLITZER: If for some reason, Amy, she decides not to run, and it's by no means for sure, she will run, she could decide she doesn't want to go through it once again, then it's a wide open field for the Democrats, isn't it?</s>CHOZICK: Yes. Then it's going to be really interesting. There was a good story in "The Washington Post" a couple of days ago about Martin O'Malley sort of laying the groundwork to a potential run. He said he wouldn't challenge Clinton but he wants to be ready if she doesn't run.</s>BLITZER: He's the governor of Maryland. A lot of people in Maryland --</s>SMITH: The future secretary of Health and Human Services.</s>BLITZER: There are a lot of people in Maryland know who he is but a lot of people outside of Maryland probably don't know who he is. Ben, walk us through that wide open field.</s>SMITH: I mean, you know, there's not so much there. I mean, I do think, you know, the smartest thing anybody has done is Elizabeth Warren, who is the obvious real serious challenger to Hillary Clinton because she's -- you know, she's a stalwart of the progressive left, the real policy person with a real, you know, policy agenda. She's been pushing her whole career. And, also, you know, Hillary Clinton's strongest base of support, and the reason she could be a very strong candidate, is among women and Elizabeth Warren could obviously also say I -- you know, it'd no longer becomes well, I can be the first woman president being the determinative thing in the primary.</s>CHOZICK: Right.</s>SMITH: The incredibly smart thing Elizabeth Warren did was say, hey, I'm not running for president.</s>BLITZER: Yes, she's now -- she's not running. Amy --</s>SMITH: Everybody is leaving her alone. She can always change her mind. That's not a binding commitment. It's made everybody to leave her alone for a year.</s>BLITZER: Well, what about the sitting vice president of the United States, Amy? I'm not hearing Joe Biden's name.</s>CHOZICK: Yes, I think there's a lot of -- of what about Joe Biden, especially among his top supporters. I hear that a lot. And you saw Jim Messina, top Obama operation, go joined Priorities which is, you know, supporting a Clinton -- potential Clinton candidacy. And so I think there is a lot of what about me in terms of Biden.</s>BLITZER: Well, we'll see what happens. It's still obviously very early. Guys -- Ben, good article. Thanks very much for joining us. Amy, loved the cover story in the Sunday "New York Times" magazine as well.</s>CHOZICK: Thanks a lot.</s>BLITZER: Mitt Romney is joining us, by the way, tomorrow here in THE SITUATION ROOM. I'll speak with him live. I'll ask him the big question that's been on the mind of some voters out there. Is it possible -- is it realistic to maybe run a third time in 2016? Also, what does the former Olympic chief executive think about security in Sochi? Mitt Romney here live in THE SITUATION ROOM tomorrow, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Just ahead, the worst month for flight cancellations in years. A new storm is coming in the days ahead and it could mean thousands more cancellations. And I'll talk to the real-life Erin Brockovich about that chemical spill that contaminated water for hundreds of thousands of people. Now it's a subject of a brand new criminal investigation.