New York City’s Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio denied any presidential ambition on Tuesday — while giving a speech in Iowa.
According to The Washington Free Beacon, De Blasio was in Iowa to talk about big government and repeatedly deny any intention of running for the Oval Office.
“No,” de Blasio told the uber-liberal crowd at Progressive Iowa. “I’m not running for president.”
He also claimed to be capable of doing “big things and [doing] them quickly.”
But as the New York Times observed, the Iowa trip has been de Blasio’s first political foray since he won re-election as mayor. Iowa happens to be where the presidential primaries begin.
The big government mayor stuck to his talking points about being too excited to begin his second term as mayor of the Big Apple to think about being the next president.
De Blasio has made no secret of his desire to promote progressive causes and politicians across the U.S.
“We cannot let the last couple of decades cloud our judgment,” de Blasio told about 150 liberal activists in Iowa. “If people see government working effectively, spending tax dollars effectively, improving their lives, then they get very open to government.”
De Blasio urged the rapt audience to be optimistic about tomorrow because, “We are at the beginning of a progressive era. We are not the party of elites. We are not the party of big donors. We are the party of working people.”
When asked just how he could govern a big city like New York and work to elect left-wing Democrats nationwide, de Blasio was ready for a demonstration. He started chewing on some gum while taking a few steps around the stage.
“Now watch this,” he said. “It’s going to be amazing. I am walking while chewing the gum.”