Dolly Parton: ‘I have not endorsed Hillary Clinton'

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Although Dolly Parton had some positive comments about Hillary Clinton in a recent New York Times interview, her statement that she would "be behind" Clinton if she were elected was not the same as an endorsement.

However, right- and left-leaning news sites took her comments as an endorsement and have been roundly criticizing/praising her presumed political stance to the point that Parton herself issued a clarification.

Posting on her Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, Parton said, "This morning while I was watching the news I saw many reports that I had endorsed Hillary Clinton. ... I have not endorsed Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump," she said.

The Times interview, presented in a question-and-answer format, covered a variety of subjects. It included one question about what Parton thought about a woman winning the White House, and Parton responded that she thought a woman could make a good president and added that she thought Clinton was qualified for the position and could do a good job. She added that if Clinton won, she would "certainly be behind her."

However, Parton never specifically endorsed Clinton, and she posted Tuesday that, "My comment about supporting a woman in the White House was taken out of context."

There was no follow-up question from the Times about her comment, and there was no mention made by Parton or the Times about Donald Trump. Parton said Tuesday, "I have not decided who I'm voting for."

The Sevier County, Tenn., native has a fan-base that crosses the political spectrum from extreme right to extreme left and, as she said on Facebook, "I try not to get political."

In typical Parton fashion, she deflected the controversy with humor, adding, "I might as well just run myself 'cause I've got the hair for it, it's huge, and they could always use more boobs in the race."

She also reiterated a quip she made in the Times story: "No matter what we're gonna be suffering from PMS, Presidential Mood Swings."