John Kerry overheard discussing possible 2020 bid amid concern of 'Sanders taking down the Democratic Party'

NBC ^ | 02 02 2020 | Jonathan Allen and Allan Smith

[yesthatjallen]

Former Secretary of State John Kerry — one of Joe Biden's highest-profile endorsers — was overheard Sunday on the phone at a Des Moines hotel explaining what he would have to do to enter the presidential race amid "the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party — down whole."

Sitting in the lobby restaurant of the Renaissance Savery hotel, Kerry was overheard by an NBC News analyst saying "maybe I'm f---ing deluding myself here" and explaining that in order to run, he'd have to step down from the board of Bank of America and give up his ability to make paid speeches. Kerry said donors like venture capitalist Doug Hickey would have to "raise a couple of million," adding that such donors "now have the reality of Bernie."

Asked about the call later on Sunday, Kerry said that he was "absolutely not" contemplating joining the Democratic primary race.

"Everyone knows that John Kerry is all in for us," Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign, told NBC News.

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It also suggests that Kerry, who has campaigned with Biden in Iowa and New Hampshire, may be nervous about the former vice president's chances ahead of Monday's first-in-the-nation primary caucuses. At a North Liberty, Iowa, campaign event on Saturday, Kerry spoke both after and for longer than Biden did.

Kerry was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, losing to President George W. Bush. He got 251 electoral votes, compared to Bush's 286.

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[trebb]

Was going to tweet to him but noticed that 13hrs ago, he tweeted he made it clear to the reporter he was absolutely not running...looks like they will lie about their own too...fake news is what fake news does...