Hillary Clinton speaks to reporters. CNN A reporter asked Hillary Clinton at a press conference Thursday morning why the presidential race was so close, considering her characterization of Trump as dangerous and unqualified to hold the Oval Office.

"Madam Secretary, the latest RealClearPolitics average has you up by an average of 2.8 percentage points over Donald Trump," the reporter said.

The reporter continued: "Given what you say are his historic inadequacies and his disqualification on the commander in chief point that you just made, shouldn't you just be pretty much running away with it at this point?"

Clinton said she has said "many, many times" that she has "always thought this was going to be a close election."

"That's why we have been putting the organization in place and gearing up for these final weeks," she said, noting her campaign is doing everything it can to mobilize voters.

"And I feel like we are in a strong position," she said. "But we are not taking any place, anyone, anything for granted. We are going to keep working as hard as we can."

In the immediate aftermath of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Clinton surged to a double-digit lead over Trump. However, in recent weeks that lead has evaporated, putting Trump in striking distance.