At a press conference on Monday, Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made it clear that he was not running for president in 2020.
“I am not going to rise to the debate of a political challenge,” Cuomo said. “I am not running for president. I was never running for president. I said from day one I wasn’t running for president.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "I'm not running for president. I was never running for president." https://t.co/JkiR0MjNdp pic.twitter.com/thyScDjE8j
— The Hill (@thehill) March 31, 2020
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87 percent of New Yorkers approve of Cuomo’s job performance according to a new poll, which is up from 44 percent in February. This jump along with other factors have prompted speculation that the governor’s spiking popularity could turn into a White House run.
"I am not engaging the president in politics," says NY Gov. Cuomo. "My only goal is to engage the president in partnership. This is no time for politics. I am not going to get into a political dispute with the president."
"I'm not running for president."https://t.co/WKHwHnEoHa
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 31, 2020
When President Donald Trump suggested on “Fox and Friends” Monday that Cuomo would be a better presidential nominee for the Democrats than current front-runner Joe Biden, the New York governor reacted. “I wouldn’t mind running against Andrew. I’ve known Andrew for a long time,” Trump said Monday. “I wouldn’t mind that, but I’ll be honest. I think he’d be a better candidate than Sleepy Joe.”
Cuomo said he appreciated Trump’s remarks. “I thank the president because I take his comment as a compliment,” he said.
Sorry Democrats, looks like you're stuck with China Joe! https://t.co/U4RkxdbbaG
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) March 31, 2020
Cuomo said that he would continue to give President Trump high marks for helping New York, but emphasized that playing politics during a national crisis was “inappropriate, counterproductive, and anti-American.”
“I am not engaging the president in politics,” Cuomo said. “My only goal is to engage the president in partnership.” He added, “This is no time for politics.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he has no plans to ever run for President, has not considered it, and will never consider it. https://t.co/igWoHEPPNm pic.twitter.com/fv1bVgfSNm
— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) March 31, 2020
Despite Cuomo’s assurances that he is not running to lead the country, the speculation is understandable given not only the governor’s skyrocketing popularity, but the weakness of Joe Biden as the Democrats’ 2020 pick.
At an advanced age and questionable mental stability, Biden has been an easy target not only for Republicans, but many in the former vice president’s own party have quietly wondered if he is truly up to the task of gunning for the White House. For now, the Democratic nomination is Biden’s to lose—perhaps unless Governor Andrew Cuomo changes his mind.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York made a clear declaration at his Monday coronavirus press briefing: “I’m not running for president." The fact that he had to clarify says a lot about the state of presidential politics in 2020. https://t.co/5zKw4SPmTw
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 30, 2020
This piece originally appeared in ThePoliticalInsider.com and is used by permission.
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