Kissinger Says He Won’t Run Against Cuomo

Former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, citing a lack of time to finance and organize a campaign, announced today that he will not run against Mario Cuomo for governor of New York this year.

Kissinger, in a statement released by his office, said he had been urged to run by Vice President George Bush and other Republican leaders.

“It would have been a privilege to contribute as a candidate to a vision of the future worthy of their hopes,” he said.

“Regrettably, my review of the situation has made it clear that especially in the light of my current focus on national and international affairs, I would immediately have to abandon all existing commitments to devote myself full time to the substance, organization and financing of an effective gubernatorial race,” Kissinger said.

Sacrifice Too Great

He said he could not do this on such short notice.

George Humphreys, an Atlanta-based GOP strategist and adviser to Kissinger, said he felt the former secretary of state “finally determined the time and effort needed would mean he has to stop everything else he’s doing. He didn’t want to do that.”

Humphreys, a former aide to the late Nelson A. Rockefeller as was Kissinger, said he didn’t think Kissinger was scared off by Cuomo’s high standing in popularity polls or by the fact that Cuomo already has about $10 million in his reelection bank account.

“I think he relished the thought of a campaign,” Humphreys said of Kissinger. “I think he wanted to go out there and test himself with the public.”

Senate Race Unlikely

There had been some speculation that Kissinger was more interested in a Senate race, perhaps against Democratic incumbent Daniel Patrick Moynihan, than in a gubernatorial challenge to Cuomo.

But Humphreys said: “I wouldn’t speculate too heavily on Henry Kissinger and the Senate. He could lose stature. In the Senate, he would be one of 100 voices.”

There was no immediate comment from Cuomo on Kissinger’s decision not to run.

Just minutes before word came that Kissinger would not run, Cuomo had completed a live interview from Florida on the “Phil Donahue Show.” During the interview, Cuomo said it would be “a privilege” to run against Kissinger.

“I would enjoy it,” he said.

Kissinger’s decision means state Republican leaders will have to continue their hunt for a strong candidate to oppose Cuomo.

Others who have said they might be interested in challenging Cuomo on the GOP ticket are state Sen. Roy Goodman, a Manhattan millionaire, and Buffalo Mayor James Griffin, a registered Democrat.