Clinton says her spouse will be a "tremendous asset," but she'll make the decisions

WASHINGTON (AP) _ If elected president, Hillary Rodham Clinton says her spouse and former Oval Office occupant will be a ``tremendous asset,'' but she's the decider. <br/><br/>``I'm running

Tuesday, January 23rd 2007, 3:23 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ If elected president, Hillary Rodham Clinton says her spouse and former Oval Office occupant will be a ``tremendous asset,'' but she's the decider.

``I'm running to be the president, to make the decisions,'' the New York senator told ABC's ``Good Morning America'' Tuesday.

For his part, former President Clinton told a New York audience that he looked forward to playing a ``supporting role'' in his wife's campaign.

``I'll do whatever I'm asked to do,'' he said at a book party Monday night for Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of Sen. Clinton's presidential campaign. ``She's got the best combination of mind and heart, the ability to lead and learn, to stand fast ... and to make honorable agreements with people who disagree with her than anybody I've known.''

Since formally entering the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination over the weekend, Mrs. Clinton has been repeatedly pressed to elaborate on what role her husband, former President Clinton, would play in her presidency.

When he sought the presidency 15 years ago, Bill Clinton described his wife as a political partner, saying his campaign slogan should be: ``Buy one, get one free.''

Asked if that slogan would apply to her as well, the former first lady responded: ``I wouldn't say it quite like that.''

But Mrs. Clinton also said she would ``count on his advice and his experience, not only here at home with the great progress that was made on so many important issues when he was president, but also what he knows about the world in which we find ourselves today.''

In separate interview on NBC's ``Today Show,'' Mrs. Clinton called her husband ``a tremendous asset.''

``He knows what the job is like. He had great success on a number of difficult fronts when he was president. ... So I'm going to be looking to him for a lot of advice and guidance.''

The senator will travel to New Hampshire the first weekend in February and again on March 10 for a state Democratic Party fundraiser.

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BOSTON (AP) _ Republican Mitt Romney called for economic sanctions against Iran ``at least as severe'' as those imposed on South Africa during its apartheid era.

Addressing a security conference in Israel, the former Massachusetts governor and likely 2008 presidential contender said sterner sanctions are needed to convince Iran's hardline Islamic regime to give up pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Romney also urged countries _ including Arab states _ to divest their assets in Iran, to seek the indictment of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on genocide charges, and to make it clear that pursuing nuclear weapons ``can also be a source of peril'' for Iran.

``The military option remains on the table,'' said a text of remarks Romney delivered at the seventh annual Herzliya Conference in Herzliya, Israel.

He added: ``Arab states must join this effort to prevent a nuclear Iran. These states can do much more than wring their hands and urge America to act.''

Romney formed a presidential exploratory committee to seek the 2008 GOP nomination on Jan. 3. His trip to Israel is part of a broader effort to enhance his foreign policy credentials.

His itinerary included a helicopter tour of the region, as well as meetings with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's current prime minister, Ehud Olmert.

In addressing Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, Romney said economic sanctions ``should be at least as severe to the sanctions imposed on apartheid South Africa. We should demand no less from the international community today.''

Separately, Romney announced that he had received the endorsement of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.