Nashua, N.H. — Former New York Gov. George Pataki attempted to convince reporters at the First in the Nation Summit Friday he really is mulling a run for the presidency.
Some think Pataki might really aspire to the vice presidency or a Cabinet position, but the New York Republican tried to dispel those rumors Friday.
“I’ve had opportunities in the past to be in the Cabinet. I had no interest,” he said. “I was the governor of New York State for 12 years — the executive. It is a powerful governorship. There is no other governmental position that appeals to me.”
“Deep in my heart, I know I have the ability to run a complex government,” Pataki told The Daily Caller.
“I did it New York. I don’t just the ability to appeal to Republicans and conservatives but also independents and Democrats you need to win an election in America and in the 21st century,” he added. “So that leads me very strongly towards making the decision as we go forward to run, but I can’t say that at this point.”
Pataki also took shots at Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, saying in his remarks that the former New York senator and secretary of state runs away from the press, “only answering staged questions from people who have been planted somewhere across America we are going to take questions from normal citizens across New Hampshire.”
Pataki noted he was making his eighth trip to New Hampshire since September. “Every four years there’s the Olympics the World Cup and Pataki shows up thinking about running for president,” he said.