Posted on 04/27/2005 5:49:27 AM PDT by areafiftyone
(1010 WINS) (ALBANY) Republican Gov. George Pataki said Tuesday that while he already has ``the greatest job there is in America,'' he would not rule out a run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008.
``I'm not ruling it out,'' Pataki told reporters over lunch at an Albany restaurant, adding after a pause, ``Not at all.''
Pataki said while he was not thinking about becoming a presidential candidate, ``at this point, ... certainly there's going to be a new candidate for president in my party in 2008 and I want to be part of the policy debate involved around that.''
The three-term New York governor made light of a report last week in the Des Moines Register newspaper that some of his political operatives had been nosing around Iowa, traditional site of the first presidential caucuses.
``It's spring. They're trying to get some tips on how to better grow corn and hay for my farm on Lake Champlain'' in northern New York near the Canadian border.
The New York governor, who said he wants to ``be part of the national debate,'' said he has had discussions with President Bush about the political future.
``That's about as specific as I'd like to get,'' Pataki said, also declining to say if he had been offered jobs in the Bush administration.
There were unconfirmed reports earlier this year that White House officials had reached out to Pataki to gauge his interest in becoming U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The governor, however, had said publicly that he had no interest in the job. Bush has since nominated John Bolton, but he is facing trouble winning confirmation in the Senate.
Pataki said he would make a decision about seeking a fourth, four-year term ``within the next few months'' because ``if I run I want to make sure I have the time to put my team together and if I choose not to run I want to make sure our party has the opportunity to go through a thorough process and have a good candidate who has plenty of time to get known.''
While most speculation in New York political circles in recent weeks has focused on Pataki not running for a fourth term, he said Tuesday that he loved the job and ``in no way am I tired with the job, or am I in any way lacking of energy or commitment or vision for the future.''
Only the late Republican Nelson Rockefeller has won four, four-year terms as governor of New York and recent polls have shown Pataki trailing far behind state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, a Democratic candidate for governor.
Pataki's comments, at a lunch with reporters who regularly cover him, came on the same day that former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld said he might run for governor of New York if Pataki didn't seek re-election. Republican Weld moved back to his native New York in 2000.
While Pataki praised Weld, he said there were other fine potential candidates, including his own lieutenant governor, Mary Donohue.
``If I don't run, I may very well'' back her for governor, he said. ``I think she's been an excellent partner.''
Asked about why he had decided to have lunch with reporters, a very rare event, Pataki said, ``I enjoy this type of thing.''
Frist, Pataki, um, who else do we have? Condi has said NO.
The charge of the boring RINO's has begun.
He better rule it out. He is slightly right of HRC and very left of center. I'd bet if he ran tho', plenty of Freepers would stand behind him.
What is it in these mediocrities - Pataki, Frist, Hagel, et. al. - that encourages them to believe that they could ever become president?
Jimmy Carter, you say? Ah, well, you have a point.
you nailed it- are pickings THIS slim for 2008???
PLEASE CONDI!!! RUN!!!!!!!!!
He is also a complete wuss. He will never make it throught the primaries. He has aboslutley no support outside of the State.
yeah - to push him out of NY
He'll lose the governorship and be relegated to master of ceremonies for the Lions club or Shriners luncheons across the greatly taxed state of NY - where much glad handing and recollections of his glory days are interspersed with the sheer dullness that is Pataki
Heaven help New York if Spitzer becomes Governor.
Looks like Frist (who the White House will probably endorse), Pataki, maybe and I say Maybe Guiliani and thats it so far. No one else seems remotely interested in running. But that can change by 2008.
Condi said no too many times. I am taking her at her word! I have already counted her out.
How is that worse than what we have?
Save your dime. The base won't for you.
Well I don't see any problem with them running. Let them run. We will vote for the best one anyway. Let them have their fun.
We'll vote for a true conservative anyway. I don't worry about Rinos running. They never make it thru the primaries anyway.
I don't know - I just don't like spitzer from what I've read about him. I'm not saying I have any great love for Pataki, I don't care for him either, and could not support him in a national race.
I left New York long before Pataki became governor, so my comments are based only upon what I have read and the soft spot I will always have for the state of my birth and youth.
Lets draft her anyway
Can we do that? It would be nice to see her run.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.