Washington, Sept 29: She has denied it, and denied it again, and still the Washington rumour mill persists in speculating: Is Hillary Clinton planning a run for the White House in 2004? The crowded field of Democrats running for the White House already stands at 10, and Clinton tried again this past week to squelch suggestions that she intended to become presidential contender number 11.

"I'm not running," she said at a breakfast with political reporters.

When asked whether anything could convince her to change her mind, she shook her head and said firmly: "no." That seemingly definitive answer has not put an end to the speculation, however.

The rumours are fueled in part by democrats wistful for the era that ended in 2000, when Hillary's husband Bill Clinton left the White House.

Many stalwart Democrats feel convinced that incumbent republican President George W. Bush can be defeated if a challenger with enough star power goes up against him, and point out that Hillary continues to have the best poll numbers of any democrat around. A Newsweek survey this month showed her to be the preferred choice of 33 per cent of democratic voters, far higher than any Democrat in the race. Another poll -- taken for Quinnipiac University before retired Army General Wesley Clark entered the race -- found that Clinton would win the support of 45 per cent of democrats, more than the nine other candidates combined.

Bureau Report