Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has made clear that she won't be serving in a second Obama term if there is one, is ready to step off ''the high wire of American politics''.

Clinton told State Department employees Thursday that she's ready to be out of the public eye.

"I think after 20 years -- and it will be 20 years -- of being on the high wire of American politics and all of the challenges that come with that, it would be probably a good idea to just find out how tired I am."

The former first lady said she finds it "a little odd for me to be totally out of an election season" after being involved as a presidential and senatorial candidate, and as a key surrogate for her husband's White House campaigns.

Still, she said she's enjoying being out of the political back-and-forth and has not watched any of the Republican presidential hopefuls' debates. "You know, I didn't watch any of those debates," she said with a smile.

Clinton also ducked a question about being President Barack Obama's running mate this year, a rumour that's been boomeranging for months. "I am happy to work with Vice President Biden, who does an excellent job," she said.

It is not clear what she would do after leaving the Obama administration, but Clinton's departure from public life would end a two-person dynasty in American politics after Bill Clinton's two terms as president, her time as a senator from New York and her tenure as secretary of state, ABC News said.