(CNN) – Political observers are trying to read the tea leaves after the largest super PAC that backed President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is now raising money for a potential Hillary Clinton bid.
The group, Priorities USA Action, also added Obama's top re-election campaign official, Jim Messina, to its roster as co-chairman.
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So does that mean the transition comes with the President's knowledge or support?
Not necessarily, says White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.
At Friday's press briefing, Carney was asked if Messina alerted the President he was going to help out at Priorities, and if it indicates the President himself supports her.
"I think Jim Messina is an independent American citizen," Carney responded. "He's not affiliated with the President, the White House. The campaign is over."
A reporter argued Messina spent more time with the President that anyone else during the campaign, indicating the two must be close.
But Carney said that may not have been the case "because the campaign was run out of Chicago."
"Obviously, (Messina) worked here and he's close to the President, but you know, what he does and what an independent, third-party organization does is not something that is coordinated with the White House."
It's no surprise Carney can't say whether or not the President supports his former Secretary of State. The President's right hand man, Vice President Joe Biden, is mulling a 2016 bid as well. At this time – so early in the next presidential election cycle – Obama can't be seen as taking sides in the race for the Democratic nomination.
"The president is focused on what he can do in 2014 and 2015 and 2016, as president with the unbelievable privilege and opportunity to be the CEO of an organization that has more capacity to do good in the country and the world than any other," Carney said. "You know, what 2016 looks like? I promise that's not something that's on his mind."
Pressed further whether Messina told Obama he was joining Priorities, Carney said he's "not privy to every single conversation the President has with the variety of people who have worked with him in the past."
Messina isn't the first former Obama campaign aide to jump into the Hillary Clinton orbit.
Ready for Hillary, a group that raises money and pushes for Clinton to run, said last summer they had partnered with 270 Strategies, a consulting firm run by Mitch Stewart, the director of battleground state strategy for Obama's 2012 campaign, and Jeremy Bird, who was Obama's national field director in last year's contest.
CNN's Ashley Killough and Chloe Sommers contributed to this report.