Cheney says Hillary Clinton could win in 2008

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday that Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton could win the presidential race in 2008 if she ran for the White House.

"I think she could win. I hope she doesn't," Cheney said in an interview with Fox television.

Cheney said he disagreed with Clinton on nearly all the issues, "but nobody should underestimate her."

"She's a very serious candidate for president," he said.

Clinton, the former first lady, who was seeking a second term for the U.S. Senate representing New York, had consistently declined to give a direct answer to questions whether she would run for the White House in 2008.

The vice president said Democratic Senator Barack Obama, who said on Sunday he would give thought to the idea of running for president in 2008, was an "attractive guy."

"Don't know him well, met him a few times. I think at this stage, my initial take on him was he's been two years as a senator. I think people might want a little more experience than that, given the nature of the times we live in. But certainly, he's an attractive candidate," he said.

As for whether he himself would run for president in 2008, Cheney said flatly that he would not. "I made my decision a long time ago, and it's firm, final, fixed, irrevocable," he said.

"If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve," said the vice president, who sounded optimistic about the Republicans' hopes of maintaining control of both chambers of Congress in the Nov. 7 elections.

Source: Xinhua