Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo (N.Y.) dodged a question Friday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" regarding his potential aspirations to run for president in 2020.
Guest Donny Deutsch began his questioning by complimenting Cuomo's physique, saying he was looking "very buff." Host Joe Scarborough interrupted the moment, telling him to "stop it," and prompted Deutsch to move on.
"What you're doing right now is what a leader does, very presidential-- Democratic party, big holes there. Nobody running the show there," Deutsch said. "If I was talking to you off camera, I would say, 'Hey Governor, after you get done with this, there's a big opening for somebody to take control of the Democratic party. Any thoughts about a presidential run?'"
"That's what you would say if we were off-camera, Donny, but we're on camera," Cuomo said.
Deutsch joked that he gets confused by the red light, and then came back to his initial question, saying, "there's a real opening there."
Cuomo dodged Deutsch's question, and said that he loves what he's doing now as the governor. The governor said he's a "linear guy," and only focuses on "one thing at a time."
"I want to do the best job I can between now and reelection, run for reelection, and I'm not planning any strategy or tactics beyond that," Cuomo said. "I have my hands full. I have a dream job and my mentality is very simple. Do what you're doing, do it well, and stay focussed.
"You get into trouble in life when the lens gets too wide – at least for me. I like to focus on what I'm doing and I'm out here working. While you guys are sitting around talking and drinking coffee, I'm working," Cuomo added with a laugh.
The idea of Cuomo running in 2020 has been floated for some time, but the governor has also faced a number of challenges as of late, including the New York City subway crisis and potential campaign finance issues.