- John Kerry on Sunday vehemently denied reports that he is considering a presidential run.
- The former Secretary of State said on Twitter that he is "absolutely not running for president" and stands with Joe Biden "who is going to win the nomination, beat Trump, and make an outstanding president."
- This denial of any White House aspirations comes after NBC News reported overhearing a phone call in a Des Moines hotel in which Kerry allegedly laid out the steps he'd need to take to enter the 2020 presidential race to avoid "the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party - down whole."
- Kerry called the NBC News report "a complete and total misinterpretation based on overhearing only one side of a phone conversation."
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John Kerry on Sunday cleared up any confusion about a potential 2020 presidential run.
Spoiler alert: It's not happening.
The former Secretary of State initially took to Twitter, labeling any reports that he plans to run for president as "f---ing false." He deleted his strongly-worded post and reshared it - this time minus the expletive.
But Twitter users had already taken screenshots of the post in question.
Kerry felt the need to clarify his intent after an NBC News article surfaced, saying that he had been overheard on a phone call at the Renaissance Savery hotel in Des Moines, Iowa, talking about what it would take for him to enter the 2020 presidential race to avoid "the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party - down whole," Axios reported.
An NBC News analyst apparently heard Kerry saying "maybe I'm f---ing deluding myself here" and clarifying that he would need to resign from Bank of America's board of directors and stop giving paid speeches. Also, he would need donors, including venture capitalist Doug Hickey, to shell out "a couple of million." Such donors "now have the reality of Bernie," Kerry said, according to NBC News.
The 2004 Democratic presidential candidate has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden and called him "the president our country desperately needs." However, this conversation, on the eve of the Iowa caucus, sounded alarms about whether Kerry has misgivings about Biden's candidacy and sees Sanders as the frontrunner since he has gained a narrow lead heading into the nation's first primary, Politico said.
Kerry denied any White House aspirations when talking to NBC News later Sunday, calling its report "a complete and total misinterpretation based on overhearing only one side of a phone conversation."
He explained: "A friend who watches too much cable called me wondering whether I'd ever jump into the race late in the game if Democrats were choosing an unelectable nominee. I listed all the reasons I could not possibly do that and would not - and will not under any circumstances - do that."
Read more:
John Kerry: Trump 'really just doesn't know what he's talking about. He makes things up.'
As I told the reporter, I am absolutely not running for President. Any report otherwise is categorically false. I've been proud to campaign with my good friend Joe Biden, who is going to win the nomination, beat Trump, and make an outstanding president.
- John Kerry (@JohnKerry) February 2, 2020John Kerry just fucking deleted a message and reposted a cleaner version pic.twitter.com/G3fJJ8qfNN
- Mathieu von Rohr (@mathieuvonrohr) February 2, 2020