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Potential 2020 Presidential Candidates Are Slow to Ask Clinton for Guidance

Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at the 2017 Stephan Weiss Apple Awards on June 7, 2017 in New York City. / Getty Images

Failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton admitted Wednesday that she has not met with any 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls seeking advice.

During an interview with Hugh Hewitt focused on her book What Happened, Clinton bushed off a question about whether she has yet spoken to any 2020 hopefuls, saying it is "too soon."

"How many 2020 candidates have been asking you for help already?  It's about that time, they gotta get going, isn't it?" Hewitt asked.

"Well, I have to say, my message to anybody who is thinking about 2020, is focus on 2018. I think it is too soon to start worrying about 2020," Clinton said.

Clinton writes in What Happened that Barack Obama's Campaign manager David Plouffe came to see her in 2013, three years before the 2016 election, but they did not speak again until 2014 when he "emphasized that time was of the essence" and Clinton was already late to the game.

Hewitt asked again whether anyone had actually been to see Clinton, mentioning that Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Cali.) might have been on potential candidate to do so.

"Nobody’s actually been to see me. I see Democrats all the time, and nobody has said ‘hey, I'm going to run’ or ‘I'm thinking about running. Give me advice now,’ because it is too soon." Clinton said. "There may be some private planning going on by some people; I wouldn't know who, I wouldn't hazard to guess."

"I haven't had those conversations in large measure because I've said I'm going to focus next year on 2018, and then I'll be happy to talk," Clinton added.

While the two time candidate says she is focused on Democrats winning 2018 elections, it's unknown exactly what elected officials and candidates will welcome her direct support. Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) has already come out against Clinton's help on the trail.

In late October, Manchin said it "wouldn’t be wise" for Clinton to help in the campaign in West Virginia because of a controversial comment she made about putting coal workers out of a job during her presidential campaign.