Mediaboss Marketing

By Jeremy Diamond, CNN

updated 8:15 AM EST, Thu November 6, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Washington (CNN) -- If presumptive Democratic 2016 front-runner Hillary Clinton decides not to run, at least one party strategist and CNN contributor thinks the Democrats' presidential bench isn't that deep.

"No one," said Paul Begala, a longtime Clinton ally, when asked by CNN's Jake Tapper if there were other party leaders who could lead the party in 2016. "No one."

While Republicans have a full bench of presidential hopefuls, Begala, who worked for President Bill Clinton and was an early Hillary Clinton supporter in 2008, said Clinton is the Democrats' best and perhaps only hope to capture the White House in 2016.

"It's not fair," Begala said. "There are impressive people who I think could be good presidents, but they don't have I think the electoral prospects that Hillary does."

Vice President Joe Biden has said he'll consider a run for the presidency after sitting in the No. 2 spot for six years, and parts of the party's progressive wing is clamoring for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to run.

CNN political commentator Van Jones, who served in the Obama administration, said Clinton hasn't yet proven that she can excite the Democratic base.

"We have to have a nominee that can excite our base and I don't know if Hillary Clinton can do that," Jones said. "I know one person can, it's Elizabeth Warren."

Continued here:
Begala: Dem 2016 bench is Clinton or zip