Republican ex-defense secretary Cohen backs Hillary Clinton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Republican U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen on Wednesday said he will likely vote for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election, citing her experience as secretary of state and former first lady. "In all likelihood, I would say yes," Cohen who served as defense secretary under former U.S. President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, told MSNBC in an interview when asked if she had earned his vote. "I would not feel comfortable," with Donald Trump, Clinton's Republican rival and a political novice, having access to the nation's nuclear codes, Cohen said. "I'd feel more comfortable with Hillary Clinton, certainly," Cohen told MSNBC. (Reporting by Tim Ahmann, Mohammad Zargham and Susan Heavey; Editing by Eric Walsh)