Former Secretary of State John Kerry, while calling talk of the 2020 presidential race a total distraction and waste of time" at this point, would not rule another try at the White House.
“What we need to do is focus on 2018," the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee told CBS News' Margaret Brennan in an interview to air Sunday. "We are in a moment of crisis for our country. The world is in a moment of crisis."
Kerry said he'll remain an activist for several of the causes he fought for as secretary of state, including two agreements President Donald Trump has vacated, the Paris Climate Agreement and the international Iran nuclear agreement.
"I never retreated or retired," said Kerry.
Meanwhile, Kerry slammed his 2004 running mate, former Sen. John Edwards, saying he "didn't measure up" to what he'd wanted in a running mate. Kerry lost the election to President George W. Bush.
"If you measure the qualities that you are looking for when you choose a vice president, it didn't measure up," said Kerry. "It wasn't what we had hoped for."
Edwards' reputation was essentially ruined during his own 2008 presidential run, after he admitted to being involved in an extramarital affair. In 2011, the former senator was charged with using more than $1 million in a cover-up scheme, but the accusations were eventually dropped.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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