CNN Crossfire host S.E. Cupp expressed concern on Wednesday over the Democratic Party's prospects for 2016 if former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton does not run for president, dismissing both Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Vice President Joe Biden as plausible contenders.
"Joe Biden is a great guy, but he's like 100 years old," Cupp told Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen. "[Gov.] Martin O'Malley in Maryland, I don't know is known to but three people outside of his home state. Elizabeth Warren is far too extreme. She's left of left. If Hillary doesn't announce soon, hasn't she taken up all the oxygen from these other players, who, I think, would need a significant amount of time to engender the kind of support that she already has?"
In reality, Biden is 71 years old, which would still make him the oldest person elected, at 73, were he to run for and win the presidency in 2016. Among recent Republican presidents, Ronald Reagan was 69 years of age when he took office; George H.W. Bush was 64; and George W. Bush was 54 years old. For her part, Clinton is 66 years old.
Rosen responded that, though she would put Biden in a "special category" because of the amount of support he has within the party, she did agree that other potential candidates have been squeezed out of popular consideration while pundits continue to speculate on a possible Clinton run. She also attempted to defend Warren.
"It seems odd that we should worry about somebody being 'too left' when you've got a guy like Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz, or a Rand Paul," Rosen said, as Cupp cut in. "I'm very not worried at all about that perception."
"Oh, look, the Republican bench is great," Cupp said. "We've got rising stars, there's no coronation on our side. Hillary Clinton isn't giving any of these guys -- including Joe Biden -- a real chance."
"First of all, Hillary Clinton isn't doing anything," Rosen shot back. "We in the media are this."
"She's refused to say whether she's running or not," Cupp interjected.
"Yeah, but nobody's saying whether they're running or not," Rosen said.
Cupp also seemed to dismiss co-host Stephanie Rosen pointing out that the country is still two years away from the next presidential election.
"Candidates aren't made overnight," Cupp insisted. "I don't think anyone at this table believes that Martin O'Malley can wage a significant opposition to any of the Republican contenders in a year."
Cupp did not mention that President Barack Obama announced his first candidacy for the presidency until February 2007, 16 months before being elected in November 2008.
Watch the discussion, as aired on CNN on Wednesday, below.
