Hillary Clinton, alas, has ruled out another Presidential run in 2016. So much the worse for us. In an interview on NBC's "Today" show Monday, the Secretary of State, who put 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling in 2008, disavowed any plans for a second presidential bid, adding that she would be too old to run again after a second Obama administration.

However, Vice President Joe Biden, who will be 73 years old in 2016 (Clinton will be 69), has not ruled out a run, despite his distant finish in 2008.

Clinton's may feel that, as Secretary of State, it would be unbecoming, especially at this early date, to stir the political waters about a future run, leapfrogging ahead of the number two on the ticket. But her disinclination towards running again is a loss to all of us. The example she set for millions of women around the world fell just short of victory. The second time might be the charm.

The Clinton-Obama race for the Democrat party nomination was must-watch television for most of the summer of 2008. Those big-state summer primaries, clustered thickly around Tuesday nights, were political Clashes of the Titans. By comparison, the GOP primary -- McCain versus Romney versus Huckabee -- was a magnum of chloroform (Zzzzzz). Sixty-nine is hardly ancient. President Reagan won re-election in 1984 at 73. John McCain, who was less successful, was 72. Age was a factor in both those candidacies, but it also plays into Hillary's strength: experience. Finally, Biden excepted, looking at the current crop of 2016 possibilities -- Webb, Warner, Bayh, Andrew Cuomo -- none of them has remotely as much experience as our Hillary.

Let's hope she changes her mind. She's got seven years to think it over.