Gov. Martin O'Malley Says He Can't Wait For Clinton, is Exploring White House Bid

Associates of the Maryland governor say he won't run if Hillary Clinton does

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) says he's can't wait for Hillary Clinton to decide on a 2016 presidential run, and so he has already begun exploring a potential White House bid of his own.

In an interview published over the weekend by The Washington Post, O'Malley made his presidential ambitions the clearest he has so far.  

He said, for example, he's holding meetings with experts in domestic and foreign policy in an effort to build a campaign's foundation.

"I have a great deal of respect for Hillary Clinton," O'Malley told the Post. "But for my own part, I have a responsibility to prepare and to address the things that I feel a responsibility to address. .?.?.To squander this important period of preparation because of horse-race concerns and handicapping concerns is just not a very productive use of energy. .?.?. Right now, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing — the thought work and the preparation work."