Former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited The View with bestselling author James Patterson Thursday (June 5) to promote their new book The First Gentleman: A Thriller, which follows a female president and the first gentleman in the midst of a murder trial. During his appearance, the former president reflected on almost becoming first gentleman himself when his wife, Hillary Clinton, ran for president in 2016.

Joy Behar raised the point when she asked why they chose to make the president of the United States a woman in the book.

“The president of the United States is a woman, so it sounds like science fiction almost,” she joked. “Were you hoping life would imitate art?”

Patterson then threw the question to Bill, as he asked, “Speaking of first gentlemen, almost, how did that work out?”

“I wanted the job,” Bill responded playfully. “It was the only political job I ever wanted that I didn’t get.”

After Behar noted, “We wanted you to have it,” Whoopi Goldberg said she was still holding out hope.

“Well, there’s still time. Nothing is off the table, that’s what I say,” she told Bill.

Hillary famously lost the 2016 election to Donald Trump. There has been some speculation that she will run again in 2028 though it remains unclear.

But the former Secretary of State has said that if Trump were to run for a third presidency, Bill and Barack Obama should also throw their hats in the ring.

“I think you have to take all of it seriously. The best response might be for, you know, Barack and Bill to run too-,” she said during a recent public appearance, per Fox News. “I mean, OK, take your choice! Who do you want for a third term, people? If this is where we’re heading, we’re going to break the Constitution, give people a choice!”

The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.