Romney says he expects Hillary Clinton to run on her own record

[February 17, 2014]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Failed 2012 U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said on Sunday he expects Hillary Clinton to win or lose the White House on her record, not that of her husband, former Democratic President Bill Clinton and his sexual indiscretions.

Disagreeing with suggestions by some Republicans, Romney said he does not see Bill Clinton being much of a factor in his wife's possible White House bid.

"Hillary, if she becomes the nominee, will have plenty to discuss about her own record," which includes four years as U.S. secretary of state and twice being elected to the U.S. Senate from New York.

"I don't imagine that Bill Clinton is going to be a big part of it," Romney said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Tea Party favorite and potential 2016 White House contender, recently began referring to Bill Clinton as a "sexual predator" for his extramarital affairs, including one with White House intern Monica Lewinski.

Paul has not said that a Bill Clinton's past reflected on his wife's ability to run the country but has raised it as an issue to consider.

Romney said Bill Clinton's affair with Lewinski "embarrassed the country."

"But I don't think that is Hillary Clinton's to explain," Romney said. "She has her own record, her own vision to where she would take the country."

Romney said he will not run for the White House again. He also lost a bid to win his party's 2008 nomination to Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona.

Romney said that, although Ronald Reagan won the White House on his third attempt, "I'm not Ronald Reagan. I think that has been pointed out to me before."

(Reporting by Thomas Ferraro; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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