Former two-term Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick last week said he's thinking over the idea of running for the nation's highest office in 2020, an effort unsuccessfully undertaken by former Gov. Michael Dukakis in 1990 and former Gov. Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012.
"It's on my radar screen. But you know it's a huge decision," Patrick, now a Bain Capital employee, said during an interview with KCUR'S Steve Kraske, who described Patrick as a Barack Obama buddy being pushed to run by former Obama aides. "And it's a huge consideration . . . particularly when I think I'm still a kid from the South Side of Chicago. My current focus is to figure out how, consistent with my day job, I can help some of the candidates who are running in 2018."
He added, "I am trying to think through 2020 and that's a decision I'm trying to think through from a personal and family point of view and also whether you know what I believe is going to be on offer by somebody and if it's on offer by somebody then maybe what I can do is help that person. But we'll see."
Republican President Donald Trump has publicly discussed his plans to seek re-election, and there's no front-running Democrat. Calling Democrats the "party of opportunity," Patrick expressed concern about Trump's tone and his "belittling" of people and his lack of clarity on policy.
During his appearance the following night at an American Public Square program in Independence, Missouri, Patrick said a "public option" health insurance plan might complement the many existing private insurance offerings.
"Single payer is attractive. Personally, I'm not ready. Don't hiss me," Patrick said. "What I am interested in and have been from the start is a public option alongside the other options and if that public option were Medicare that would be even better, because we sort of know what it is and how it works." - Michael P. Norton/SHNS