Martin O'Malley Says Executive Experience Would Make Him A Better President Than Hillary Clinton

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" that he has a "tremendous amount of respect" for Hillary Clinton, but he thinks he could make a better president.

He said he would make a decision on whether to run by the end of May and is "very seriously considering" it.

"I think it would be an extreme poverty indeed if there weren't more than one person willing to compete for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party," he said. "But this is the way I think it's supposed to work: I believe that if you have the executive experience, the ideas that can serve our nation well and the ability to govern, you should offer your candidacy and then let the people decide."

O'Malley touted his time as the mayor of Baltimore and then the governor of Maryland, saying he "guided our state through this recession." Clinton has served as a secretary of state, senator and first lady, but not as a mayor or governor.

He also referenced his work on same-sex marriage and immigration rights -- two issues he criticized Clinton on last week.

"Doing difficult things like passing marriage equality, passing the Dream Act, doing common sense things that allow new American immigrants to fully participate, pay their taxes, play by the rules and take care of their families," O'Malley said, listing his achievements as governor. "That's the inclusive American that I believe all of us want to move to."

Clinton shifted her stances on marriage equality and driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants last week, and O'Malley took her to task for it.

"I’m glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions on these issues," he told reporters Thursday at Harvard University, where he was delivering a speech on the economy. "I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls. And every election is about the future. And leadership is about making the right decision, and the best decision before sometimes it becomes entirely popular."