Chirlane McCray on Wednesday denied ever saying the timing was “not exactly right” for her husband, Mayor Bill de Blasio, to run for president — even though her remarks were recorded.
The city’s first lady appeared on Fox 5’s “Good Day New York,” where she was asked about comments she made one week ago about her hubby’s presidential aspirations.
“We have to talk to you quickly, though,” co-host Lori Stokes said. “In the interview that you gave with Politico, in the podcast where you talked about it’s not your husband’s time right now to run for —”
McCray suddenly snapped, “I didn’t say that!”
Stokes’ co-host, Rosanna Scotto, chimed in incredulously, “You didn’t say that? So, everybody thought that you were like that it’s, you were throwing in the towel right now.”
In Politico’s “Women Rule” podcast that was recorded on Jan. 24 but aired on Feb. 27, McCray said she thought de Blasio would make a “great president.”
“The timing is not exactly right,” she said. “He’s very focused on being mayor, but look at what he’s done.”
McCray said on Fox 5 that she felt de Blasio has done a “fantastic job” before deflecting a follow-up question about whether she’d want him to run.
“He said he’s not going to rule it out,” she said. “He’s focusing on what he’s doing and of course, you know, putting some feelers out there, which I think is the right thing to do.”
Asked how she thinks her podcast comments may have gotten misconstrued, McCray replied, “It’s like telephone. You know, one person says one thing and another person just takes it the wrong way.”
But prior to Wednesday, McCray never objected to the numerous reports of her saying the timing wasn’t right for de Blasio to run for the White House.
And later Wednesday morning at a Brooklyn Museum event honoring women pioneers McCray further muddied her position.
“Did you or didn’t you say that the timing is not right for your husband to run for president?” a reporter asked.
“I did not say that,” she claimed— then seemed to contradict herself.
“I said the time, I said the time may not be right. I think people say that when they get pregnant, when any big opportunity comes around because you know destiny does not always come at a time of your choosing.”
She continued, “I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do or if it’s the right time, but he’s not ruling it out and I think that’s right.”