O'Malley outlines possible 2016 bid

O'Malley first told The Baltimore Sun in April he would take the next year to consider a campaign for the White House. The governor did not commit to presidential campaign Saturday, but rather said he has been working through a process to do so.

Politico reported that, during the 35-minute conversation, O'Malley said several recent speeches covered the big issues he would build his platform around, including a commencement at St. Mary's College, last month's speech on climate change, a Center for American Progress address about growing the middle class and a speech in Ireland.

The governor said the country is having a "crisis of confidence" that would not be resolved any time soon.

The Washington Post relayed this transcript of O'Malley's remarks on the collective psyche f the nation:

"As a country, we're going through this crisis of confidence. And great republics sometimes go through these periods. Individuals call them, what, the dark night of the soul. We're going through a time of confusion and a time of polarization and a real crisis about whether or not we are still capable as a people of accomplishing big and important things, none more important than restoring the balance to our economy so that our middle class can continue to grow and give more opportunities to each successive generation. We will get through that period — of that, I have no doubt. I don't think we are going to get through that period by 2014."

O'Malley said part of his potential presidential plan involved his work through his political action committee, which raised $500,000 in the first half of the year and gave some to what he called "like-minded" candidates in early primary states.

Here's the take from Time. And here's the version appeared on BuzzFeed.