Bill Clinton: Elizabeth Warren Is 'An Important Part' Of The Future Of The Democratic Party

Clinton: Warren Is 'An Important Part' Of The Future Of The Democratic Party
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Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have long been mum on the latter's potential 2016 presidential bid. But in a Sunday interview, CNN's Fareed Zakaria pushed the former president on the aspirations of a different Democratic sweetheart.

Zakaria invited Clinton to speak about Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), asking whether he believed Warren to be the "future of the Democratic Party."

"I think she's an important part of it," Clinton responded.

Though he didn't acknowledge a potential presidential bid by Warren, Clinton said the senator could find support among the electorate given her commitment to equal opportunity.

“I think the American people are -- the Democrats, at least -- are worried about people having an equal shot at prosperity,” said Clinton.

"You had to have more broad-based prosperity. So, I think anybody who’s arguing for that is going to find a receptive ear in the American electorate, not just among Democrats. I mean, we’re going to have a vote in my native state of Arkansas in raising the minimum wage, and I’ll be surprised if we don’t get a majority of Republicans to vote for it, even though their politicians are, by and large, against it.”

While former Secretary of State Clinton has repeatedly noted that she hasn't yet ruled out a presidential bid, Warren has explicitly said she is "not running for president." Not long after the "Ready for Warren" campaign launched to encourage a Warren run (mimicking the "Ready for Hillary" campaign that's already brought in millions), the senator's attorney issued a "formal disavowal" of the organization, saying Warren "has not, and does not, explicitly or implicitly, authorize, endorse, or otherwise approve of the organization's activities."

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Elizabeth Warren
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U.S. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts attends a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, on February 27, 2014. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Elizabeth Warren(02 of26)
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U.S. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts attends a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, on February 27, 2014. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., left, confers with Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, as the Senate Banking subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance held a hearing on the recent incidents of mass credit card fraud following the theft of consumers data at retailers such as Target Corp and Neiman Marcus during the holiday shopping season. Hackers stole about 40 million debit and credit card numbers and also took personal information. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: (L-R) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and other women Democratic senators hold a news conference to announce their support for raising the minimum wage to $10.10 at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2014 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: (L-R) U.S. Sen. Barabara Mikulski (D-MD), U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) join other women Democratic senators for a news conference to announce their support for raising the minimum wage to $10.10 at the U.S. Capitol January 30, 2014 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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FILE - In this March 7, 2013 file photo, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questions a witness at Senate Banking Committee hearing on anti-money laundering on Capitol Hill in Washington. As she enters her second year in Congress in 2014, Warren told The Associated Press she's focused on improving the economic futures of American families by reigning in student debt, easing what she calls the nation's retirement crisis, and doubling funding for federal research programs. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) (credit:AP)
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In this July 17, 2013 file photo, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., left, talks with President Barack Obama following a statement with Richard Cordray, the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) (credit:AP)
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Rep.-elect Katherine Clark, D-Mass., right, stands with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., after Clark posed for a photo during her ceremonial swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(09 of26)
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WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 14: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (L) listens to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) (R) during a confirmation hearing for Nominee for the Federal Reserve Board Chairman Janet Yellen before Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee November 14, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 30: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks during a briefing on a Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rule October 30, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The Corporate Reform Coalition and Public Citizen held a briefing on a SEC proposed rule that would 'require publicly traded companies to disclose funds spent with the purpose of influencing elections.' (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 10: (L-R) U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) talks to Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) prior to a hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee October 10, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 30: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (C) welcomes Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Jo White as Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Gary Gensler (L) stands by before a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill July 30, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren ,D-MA, speaks at a press conference April 16, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts, in the aftermath of two explosions that struck near the finish line of the Boston Marathon April 15. (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) walks with aids as Senate Republicans and Democrats head to their weekly policy luncheon on March 19, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 07: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (R) talks to Secretary of State and former U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) (L) during a re-enactment of the swearing-in for U.S. Senator William 'Mo' Cowan (D-MA) February 7, 2013 at the Old Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Elizabeth Warren(16 of26)
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., center, accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, make statements introducing Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., seated at left, to the committee during his confirmation hearing to become secretary of state, replacing Clinton, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(17 of26)
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US Senators John McCain,R-AZ, and Elizabeth Warren,D-MA, chat prior to Sen John Kerry's confirmation hearings by the Senate Foreign Relations committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on January 24, 2013. US Senator John Kerry is US President Barack Obama's nominee for Secretary of State. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Elizabeth Warren(18 of26)
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FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2012 file photo, Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. waves to the crowd before giving her victory speech, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(19 of26)
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Massachusetts Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) gives two thumbs up as she arrives to greet commuters and thank Massachusetts residents, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, in Boston. Warren defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Scott Brown. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(20 of26)
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Massachusetts Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), right, greets commuters and thanks Massachusetts residents, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, in Boston. Warren defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Scott Brown. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(21 of26)
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Democrat Elizabeth Warren, foreground right, hugs her husband Bruce Mann during an election night rally at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel in Boston after Warren defeated incumbent GOP Sen. Scott Brown in the Massachusetts Senate race, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren, Bruce Mann(22 of26)
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Democrat Elizabeth Warren, center right, celebrates with her husband Bruce Mann, center left, and other relatives and family members during an election night rally at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel in Boston, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Warren defeated incumbent GOP Sen. Scott Brown in the Massachusetts Senate race. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(23 of26)
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Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Warren, center right, greets a supporter outside the polls after voting in Cambridge, Mass. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Warren is running against Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), who was elected in a special election in 2010 after the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(24 of26)
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Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Warren, center, casts her ballot as she and her husband , Bruce Mann, right, visited the polls near their Cambridge, Mass. home on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Warren is running against Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), who was elected in a special election in 2010 after the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(25 of26)
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Massachusetts Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) gives two thumbs up as she arrives to greet commuters and thank Massachusetts residents, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, in Boston. Warren defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Scott Brown. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye) (credit:AP)
Elizabeth Warren(26 of26)
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Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Elizabeth Warren, front, addresses a crowd as sons of the late U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy, Jr., center right, and former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., second from right, look on during a Warren campaign stop in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston Monday, Nov. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (credit:AP)