New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who managed Hillary Clinton’s 2000 race for Senate, isn’t ready to endorse her for president.
“I want to see a vision,” de Blasio said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday.
The liberal mayor said that Clinton, expected to announce her candidacy Sunday, needs to first unveil a progressive vision for combating income inequality before she gets his endorsement.
The hesitancy from de Blasio illustrates doubts that some in the liberal base may have for Clinton and her progressive bonafides.
De Blasio noted that a challenge during the primaries from her left will make Clinton a “better candidate.”
“You want to push her to a more progressive agenda,” he said.
He added that she is a “tremendous public servant but we need to see the substance.”
De Blasio’s comments didn’t sit well with some Democratic activists. Clinton ally Hillary Rosen tweeted that de Blasio’s comments were “self aggrandizing” and added that they “won’t go unnoticed” in Clinton Land.
This story was originally published at 11:36 and has been updated since then.
@BilldeBlasio‘s self aggrandizing on #MeetthePress at @hillaryclintons expense won’t go un noticed. #Ridiculous
— Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) April 12, 2015
@BilldeBlasio‘s self aggrandizing on #MeetthePress at @hillaryclintons expense won’t go un noticed. #Ridiculous
— Hilary Rosen (@hilaryr) April 12, 2015
