Oct 15, 2014 12:05 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Whether Hillary Clinton runs for the Democratic Part in the 2016 presidential election, college affordability figures to be a divisive issue.

According to the Associated Press, the former Secretary of State spoke at this year's UNLV Foundation dinner and addressed the issue. She said student loan debt can be burdensome and "can feel like an anchor tied to their feet dragging them down."

The event was hosted at the Bellagio Hotel's ballroom to benefit the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. President Obama has already made college affordability a priority and the Democratic Party seems prepared to keep the issue on the forefront in the next election.

"I think our young people deserve a fair shot," Clinton reportedly told the crowd of about 900.

Clinton also spoke about global topics such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ebola, the Islamic State and even Nelson Mandela. The additional remarks came from questioning from Brian Greenspun, the Las Vegas Sun's publisher and an old friend of Clinton's.

"They want to bring the fight to Europe and the fight to the United States," she said of the Islamic militant group.

On Ebola, the potential 2016 Democratic presidential candidate said the disease, in all likeliness, will not stay contained in the U.S.

"We can't say we're not going to be involved because these things are other people's problems," she said.

She went on to refer to Putin as "a very cold-blooded, calculated former KGB agent who is determined to not only enrich himself and his closest colleagues but also to try to revive Russia's influence around its border."

Clinton, however, would not address any plans she may or may not have to run for president in 2016. She did say Mandela was the most important person she has ever met because of his "level of self-awareness and political skill."

She also gave a bit of insight into the manhunt for Osama bin Laden, saying the most difficult decision she ever made as Secretary of State was "whether or not to go after bin Laden based on the evidence we had."

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