New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio delayed making a public endorsement of Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign, a cache of newly released emails reveal.
Mrs Clinton’s campaign team approached de Blasio several times to set a date for a media appearance where he would proclaim his support for her over Bernie Sanders in 2015.
This comes just weeks after rumours that the 56-year-old had been ‘putting feelers about’ about running for for President himself in 2020.
Too busy: Released emails reveal that Mrs Clinton’s campaign approached de Blasio several times to set a date for a media appearance but he kept delaying
The emails, obtained by the New York Post, show that Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook wrote to de Blasio on October 11, 2015, to try to schedule when the NYC mayor would go on TV.
He offered up two days, but de Blasio said it was too soon considering the amount of preparation he would nee dot do before appearing on news shows.
“Given the need to prep and do the cable blitz, I think this week is too soon. I’m going to Israel Thurs night thru Monday AM, so I’ve got a lot to cram in before going. I’ll check with my team and get back to you, but let’s assume the week of the 19th for now,” de Blasio replied.
A new date was suggested for October 27, but this too was rebuffed due to memorial services for police officer Randolph Holder.
Slow clap: After trying for three weeks to find a date, de Blasio finally appeared on TV to declare that he supporter Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders
October 29th was also out of the question for de Blasio as it is the anniversary f Superstorm Sandy.
Finally. on October 30, 2015, de Blasio appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and spoke in support of Hillary over Bernie Sanders.
The emails have been published weeks after Page Six claimed that de Blasio had been shopping himself as the next Democratic presidential candidate.
‘His people are sending out overtures asking where he should go next and whom he should meet on a national level.” a Democrat source told Page Six.
Another added that ‘de Blasio is putting all his chips on the 2020 race’.
However these rumours were shot down by the Mayor himself a few days later, as he dismissed the idea as a ‘fantasyland’ scenario on Morning Joe.