Is John Kerry Considering A Run? Moderate Dems Looking For Anyone But Sanders

Former Secretary of State John Kerry was overheard making a phone call in which he was discussing the possibility of jumping into the presidential race – and his concerns about one of the front runners.

At the restaurant in a hotel in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday, a reporter for NBC News heard Kerry saying, “Maybe I'm f---ing deluding myself here” because in order to join the race, he would no longer be able to be a Bank of America board member. He could also be heard saying that a campaign would mean having to pass up on the option to be paid for speaking at events.

Kerry was also heard discussing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the possibility that he could be “taking down the Democratic Party.”

Since NBC News’ report, the former secretary of state took to Twitter to reject any notion of him joining the race. “I am absolutely not running for President,” Kerry wrote.

This tweet replaced one in which Kerry used an expletive, having originally written “any report otherwise is f---ing (or categorically) false.”

While Kerry might not sound too eager to throw his hat into the ring, it’s clear that moderate Democrats are becoming increasingly concerned about Sanders. And although former Vice President Joe Biden still appears to be the national front runner, several polls show him beginning to be passed by Sanders. The latest polling also shows Biden losing to Sanders in both Iowa and New Hampshire, loses that could well spell the beginning of the end of Biden’s campaign.

As such, some worried moderate Democrats may be looking elsewhere for their potential Trump challenger.

In an interview with Hollywood Reporter last month, former 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said that she had people frequently lobbying her to join in the current race. Although she didn’t categorically rule out a last minute bid for the nomination, Clinton said she was primarily interested in seeing Trump lose the re-election.

For many moderates, however, it is looking increasingly like their second choice will be former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. National polling has shown him surge past Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., into third place, riding on name recognition and over $250 million spent on massive advertising campaigns.