What'll She Do After NBC?

One of network news' top-dollar personalities is on her way out the door, and it's anybody's guess what she'll end up tackling next. Chelsea Clinton is quitting NBC News, writing in a statement on her Facebook page that she'll continue her work with the Clinton Foundation, the eponymous organization founded by her father after he left office. And it's hard not to wonder if she could eventually get involved in another upcoming family project — one more presidential run for Hillary, maybe?

When NBC hired Chelsea in 2011, the decision was met with criticism — specifically thanks to the big money she commanded, given her lack of a journalism background. Still, over the course of her NBC tenure, Chelsea produced a ton of heartwarming work highlighting average Americans — the "everyday heroes." It's unclear what precisely spurred her decision: whether she was weary of the job generally, wanted to free up time with her baby's birth approaching, or earnestly wanted to refocus on her Clinton Foundation role. Still, we'll have a little less Chelsea Clinton on our televisions in the coming months.

Unless. Unless Chelsea opts for another high-profile career change in the near future, or at least steps back into the public eye. But what might she do? Here are some of our best guesses...

Helping Out the Hillary 2016 Effort

This is the thing obviously on everybody's mind, whether Democrat and Republican. Will Hillary run? And if so, what role might Chelsea play on the presidential trial?

Chelsea is no stranger to chipping in. She helped out the Hillary '08 campaign, and was the subject of some sexist comments as a result — something her mom is pretty familiar with.

Obviously, candidate's families carry a lot of coverage in the course of a presidential campaign, and with Chelsea and husband Marc Mezvinksy's baby on the way, it's pretty easy to imagine the happy family smiling at the Democratic National Convention as Hillary accepts the nomination.

Running For Public Office Herself

Another question, given the aura of political dynasty that her parents' careers have produced, is what if Chelsea wanted to get elected, too? She's actually hinted at this possibility before. Back in 2013, she told CNN that while she believed in her elected officials, she could see herself running if that ever wasn't the case — a pretty political answer, honestly, which maybe suggests this will be in the cards someday.

Not now. I’m ... grateful to live in a city and a state and a country where I really believe in my elected officials, and their ethos and their competencies. Someday, if either of those weren’t true and I thought I could make more of a difference in the public sector, or if I didn’t like how my city or state or country were being run, I’d have to ask and answer that question.

Exactly What She Says Will Happen

It's entirely possible that there's no broader plan in play for Chelsea at this point, and that she's only intending to do precisely what she detailed in the Facebook post announcing her departure from NBC.

When I joined the NBC family in 2011, I had long respected NBC’s commitment to telling the stories of “ordinary people doing extraordinary things." I loved watching the "Making a Difference" stories about remarkable people and organizations making a profound difference in our country and our world. I am grateful NBC gave me the opportunity to continue this important legacy. To continue focusing on my work at the Clinton Foundation and as Marc and I look forward to welcoming our first child, I have decided to leave my position as a NBC Special Correspondent.

In other words: I'll be off-the-radar for a while, and my family (and family's foundation) is the reason why. NBC News' response to her departure was laudatory of her past work for the network, and left the door open for any future collaborations.

Chelsea’s storytelling inspired people across the country and showcased the real power we have as individuals to make a difference in our communities. While she will be missed, we look forward to working with her in the future.

Images: Getty Images (3)