Kerry Washington Says This "Incriminating" Video Is the Reason She Can't Run for Office

Kerry Washington rules the White House on her hit show Scandal, but there’s one reason you won’t see her running for office in real life. The actress stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday and fielded multiple requests from the talk show host to put in a political bid.

“Every time I see you speak, every time you’re receiving an award, you just are so dynamic on stage. I feel like people are scared to run when they know they have dirt on them, and I think the reason you’re not running is because we have this on you,” DeGeneres joked. She then teed up a video of Washington playing “Speak Out” and trying to say ridiculous phrases while wearing a mouthpiece.

“It is. It is,” Washington jokes. “See, I mean, that is not presidential. That’s not mayoral.”

“Yeah, that’s why I can’t run. I mean, you know, that’s an incriminating, horrifying video,” she said.

VIDEO: Kerry Washington Shares Her Beauty Secrets

The actress, though, is happy that more women are interested in holding office in today’s political climate. “I am glad that more women than ever before are running. I feel like, you know, these can be very challenging times for a lot of us. I think a lot of us right now in this current political climate are feeling more vulnerable than ever before, but I think the beautiful thing about it is that we are having events like the GLSEN Awards or women running for office,” Washington said.

“We’re all coming together. We’re realizing that if anybody is vulnerable, we’re all vulnerable, so we really have to look out for each other.”

Watch the video at top for more from the Scandal star.