According to the New York Post, Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may be bowing out of the 2016 presidential race before it even gets close to starting.
That decision can be summed up in two words: Hillary Clinton.
The paper claims he has whispered to associates that he won’t run for the party’s presidential nomination in 2016 if the former Secretary of State seeks the White House.
Cuomo has been considered a likely candidate, but allegedly, an administration insider says Cuomo knows and accepts that if Clinton runs, she’ll easily win the nomination.
Plenty of people find the new report easy to believe — because it’s merely acknowledging what political strategists in both parties have been saying for months.
Cuomo, however, denies that there’s any truth to it.
"Hillary Clinton is going to do whatever Hillary Clinton is going to do, and I’m doing what I’m doing, and I’m focused on running this state," he said.
Still, it makes perfect sense for a guy "facing near-certain defeat" to quietly step into the wings if, as expected, Hillary runs, says Tom Precious at The Buffalo News.
"Seems like a no-brainer, considering the party wrath that would come Cuomo’s way if he were to try to block Clinton from becoming the nation’s first female president."
Still, with the 2016 election three-and-a-half years away, not everyone is convinced that Andrew Cuomo should be making any decisions regarding it just yet.
Unless, of course, he wants to score a few points by offering not to run for a job he doesn’t really want, anyway. Some say his recent moves suggest that’s more likely.
Cuomo’s sharp shift to the political left might indicate that he’s looking to shore up his solidly Democratic state’s base, rather than positioning himself to run nationally.
Also, why say you’re not running three years in advance?
Because you just never know in politics. The seemingly unstoppable Clinton lost the Democratic primary to a total unknown in 2008. Just saying.
Hillary 2016?