Politicians often dismiss the idea of a White House bid with public denials, only to later enter the race—sometimes successfully. Historical examples, like a former U.S. senator’s 2006 declaration that he had no intention of running, later proved exceptions to the rule. The pattern suggests that initial skepticism rarely predicts the final outcome. Would-be candidates may be testing the waters while leaving the door open for a surprise entry.
Politicians eyeing a White House run typically utter the words “I'm not interested” in running for president. Much of the time, the politicians inevitably jump into the race. And sometimes — as was the case with Barack Obama when he famously declared in 2006 that he “will not” run for president — they win. But...
