Deval Patrick Says He Won't Run

Ever since the 2014 midterm elections came to a close, and the reality of GOP-controlled Congress finally started settling in, there's been a pretty predictable question on the minds of Democrats everywhere — who's going to keep the Republicans from getting the clean sweep in 2016? Could it be Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley? Current vice president and satirical news icon Joe Biden? A certain former secretary of state? Well, there's one less contender vying for the job — Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick won't run in 2016, but he's got the perfect advice for Hillary.

On NBC's Meet The Press Sunday, Patrick addressed the frequent speculation that he might enter the presidential race in 2016. And sadly for any of his Democrats boosters who viewed him as a potent alternative to a likely Hillary campaign, his answer was no. Patrick said that he didn't feel he could be ready in time for 2016, meaning the 58-year-old will likely see some downtime in the years to come — his second term ends in January, when he'll be replaced by incoming Republican Governor-elect Charlie Baker, Patrick's former 2010 challenger who defeated Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley this time around.

As if to really prove the point that he wasn't eying a 2016 run — after all, politicians are known to lie about such things sometimes — he decided to give the woman who would've been his chief rival some words of caution.

Secretary Clinton has been an extraordinary public servant and would be a terrific candidate for president. But I think the narrative that it's inevitable is off-putting to regular voters. I don't mean that as a criticism of her; I just think people read inevitably as entitlement. And the American people want, and ought to want, their candidates to sweat for the job, you know, to actually make the case for why they're the right person for the right time.

Make no mistake, Patrick;s words of advice are all things Hillary's probably rolled over in her mind hundreds of times. It's a similar dilemma to that of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, though he's not exactly viewed as inevitable — with such a high-profile name, and the recent history of a close relative serving as President, there's always the fear that voters will get a little fatigued. In Bush's case, however, his brother George W. left office with abysmal approval ratings — at the very least, Hillary's husband Bill made it out as a generally well-liked and approved-of leader.

Of course, for the presidential season to really get started, some major players from the Democratic Party have to start coming forward and declaring their candidacies. And with countless aspirants likely dragging their heels for Hillary's announcement, the sooner she makes the call, the better — by all accounts, she's planning to announce her run in January.

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