New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dodged a question Thursday about whether he would consider running for president in 2020 if the Democratic Party came to him and asked.
MSNBC’s Willie Geist told de Blasio that there would be people who would want him to run for president since he is now a two-term mayor of New York City. The major was elected for a second term on Tuesday.
"There are people who are going to want you to run for president in 2020," Geist said.
"Willie that’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me," de Blasio responded.
"Is that something you would consider if the party came to you and said, ‘we think you’re the guy who could kick out Donald Trump.’ Would you consider running for higher office?" the "Morning Joe" co-host asked.
"My focus is New York City, Willie," de Blasio said, dodging the question by focusing on his current position. "I’ve got four years and it’s going to be four years of intense, urgent action to do everything I want to do in this city, and that’s what I’m here to do."
De Blasio's name has been floated as a potential Democratic presidential candidate, but he has continued to avoid direct questions about whether he might run.
One political watcher said in August that the 2020 election is already de Blasio's primary focus, according to a Page Six report.
"De Blasio is putting all his chips on the 2020 race," the watcher said. "That’s why, instead of staying in the city to comfort the children of assassinated police officer Miosotis Familia, he jetted to Germany to join the anti-Trump rioters who were smashing store windows."
Geist wasn't satisfied with the mayor's dodge on Thursday, and continued to push de Blasio on the topic.
"I understand that, but what if the party came to you?" Geist proposed. "Would you at least listen? Would you consider it?"
"In Willie’s rich fantasy land," de Blasio said, still not answering the question one way or the other.
"It’s not my fantasy land, it’s the party’s," Geist said.
"You’re very kind. Look, I’ll tell you this much, I’m ready to serve the next four years as mayor of New York City. In the meantime I want to help this party in every way I can to get back to reaching working people, and to come up with a clear, progressive economic message, which had we had in ‘16, no doubt we would have won," de Blasio said, continuing to avoid a straight answer.
"I want to be part of the solution, but my job is here in New York City," de Blasio concluded.