Hillary Clinton launches run for the White House

Hillary Clinton's disciplined politics Hillary Clinton on Sunday announced she would seek the US presidency for the second time, ending two years of speculation and opening another chapter in a rich political life that has already spanned more than two decades.

In a low-key video message posted on her new campaign website on Sunday, Mrs Clinton said she wanted to be "champion" for "everyday Americans", and signalled that she would put tackling inequality and boosting opportunity for middle and low-income families at the heart of her political agenda.

"Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favour of those at the top. Every day Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion."

Mrs Clinton enters the race for the Democratic nomination as the heavy favourite, polling more than 50 points ahead of likely contenders such as Martin O'Malley, the former governor of Maryland, former Virginia senator Jim Webb, and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.

In contrast to 2008, where Mrs Clinton's candidacy was swept aside by the phenomenal rise of Barack Obama, even political strategists who have been sceptical of her campaign skills see little opportunity for a Democratic rival to break through with voters.

Against most current and prospective Republican challengers in a general election, such as Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who is both the brother and son of former presidents, and Scott Walker, the Wisconsin governor, Mrs Clinton also polls well ahead, although such early snapshots are bound to change over the next 20 months.

Seven years on from her devastating defeat to Mr Obama in the Democratic primary, Mrs Clinton's advisers have emphasised that it will be a different candidate on the campaign trail this time around, and that she will take nothing for granted.

Through smaller, more intimate events, the former secretary of state will meet voters on a one-on-one basis, aiming to dispel concerns that she is more at ease with the intricacies of formulating policy than kissing babies and building a personal rapport with ordinary folk on the trail.

Team Clinton has worked behind the scenes for months on the rebrand many pundits have already labelled "Hillary 2.0", bringing in First Lady Michelle Obama's public relations guru, Kristina Schake, to help soften her image and to boost her likeability. After more than two decades in the public eye, Mrs Clinton is already one of the most famous political figures of her era, and there are few Americans who do not already hold a strong opinion about her, whether good or bad.

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The race for the White House in 2016 has intensified in recent weeks, with Republican candidates such as Ted Cruz, the firebrand Texas senator, and Rand Paul, the Kentucky senator best known for his libertarian views, firing the starting gun on their campaigns.

Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, will launch his own bid on Monday in Miami, joining a GOP field that will be as crowded as it is ideologically diverse. Mr Bush and Mr Walker are expected to jump into the race in the coming months.

Several of those candidates were quick to attack the former secretary of state's message and record on Sunday, from Mr Paul offering anti-Clinton gear such as T-shirts emblazoned with "Liberty Not Hillary" to Mr Cruz likening a Clinton presidency to a third term for Mr Obama.

"Hillary Clinton represents the failed policies of the past and there's going to be a very clear choice to make in 2016. Does America want a third Obama term or are we ready for strong conservative leadership to make America great again?" the Texas senator said in a statement to the press.

"Her announcement raises a critical question: Is the world a safer place because Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State?

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