WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has met privately at the White House with his former secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The White House says Obama and Clinton met for about an hour in the Oval Office "to catch up and enjoy an informal discussion on a wide range of issues." The White House did not say which issues were discussed.

Obama and Clinton have met occasionally since she left the administration shortly after the 2012 election. Wednesday's meeting comes as Clinton is weighing a decision on whether to pursue another bid for the White House. She lost the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination to Obama.

Obama recently said Clinton would make a "great president" but added that he thought Americans would want a "new car smell" in the 2016 election.