Gov. Andrew Cuomo went out of his way Monday to claim he’s yet to endorse any candidate in the 2020 presidential race — after spending months talking up Joe Biden as the Democratic Party’s best shot to retake the White House from Donald Trump.
When asked whether his well-publicized support for Biden had waned following the former VP’s lackluster performance in last week’s presidential debates, Cuomo claimed he didn’t get a chance to watch because he was traveling overseas.
He then tried to set the record straight by telling reporters in an unrelated conference call, “I have not made an endorsement, an official endorsement in the race.”
It was a far cry from previous remarks Cuomo has made about Biden’s presidential bid.
In January, he told WAMC radio “of all the names are out there, Joe Biden has the best case [to become president] because he brings most of the secret ingredient you need to win, which is credibility.”
Three months later, he was even more definitive, telling WAMC, “I think Joe Biden is the best candidate to beat Donald Trump.”
Following Thursday’s debate, Biden has found himself trying to defend his past positions on racial issues after being left speechless when Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) slammed his opposition to school busing.
Cuomo — who reportedly agreed to help Biden raise campaign funds — did show him some love Monday, saying he holds the ex-vice president “in very high regard.”
“I have worked with Joe Biden,” Cuomo said. “He has been extraordinarily good to the State of New York when he served as vice president.”
The governor, however, refused to commit to supporting Biden, adding “I think it is very early in the process. Let the process continue, and let’s hear more from candidates, and then we will see where we are.”