Asked by CNN's Jake Tapper Tuesday if she viewed it as a challenge that she would have to convince voters that she would put national security above her own self-interest, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton said that it was obvious.
"I think that is obvious. I always have," she said.
It might not be given Clinton's much-publicized email woes.
USA Today's editorial board wrote Tuesday that Clinton's use of a personal server had put national security at risk and had repeatedly ignored warnings from State Department officials:
If Clinton wants to become the president of the United States, she needs to explain how she could make such a reckless decision. She had a chance to answer questions when the Obama administration-appointed inspector general contacted her about the investigation that was released last week. Among five recent secretaries of State, only Clinton refused.
Clinton used the IG report to say other secretaries of state had used personal email addresses to conduct business at the State Department. She also claimed that the rules on the use of personal email had not been clarified until after she had left.
"I have said many times that it was still a mistake and if I could go back I would do it differently," she said. "I understand that people may have concerns about this."
Clinton posed the notion that having Donald Trump as president would be a greater threat to national security than a private email address and server.
The FBI is still conducting a criminal investigation into Clinton's server and has yet to bring her in for an interview.