"I'm NOT running for president!' Andrew Cuomo dismisses speculation he could usurp Joe Biden to be Democratic nominee after Donald Trump fueled it saying Cuomo would be a 'better candidate than Sleepy Joe'

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said several times at a Monday press conference that he was not running for president after President Trump said he'd be a stronger candidate for the Democrats than Joe Biden. 

'I am not running for president. I was never running for president. I said from day one I wasn't running for president. I am not running for president now,' Cuomo said. 

Cuomo called it a 'compliment' that Trump had talked about the governor's high approval ratings in response to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic - but beyond that, he said he refused to engage the president in political discussions.  

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said several times Monday that he was not running for president after President Trump said on 'Fox & Friends' that Cuomo would be a stronger Democrat than Joe Biden, the likely nominee 

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Cuomo, speaking alongside the hospital ship Comfort in Manhattan Monday, said at a press conference that he would not engage in political discussions with the president, calling it 'anti-American' during a time of crisis 

'My only goal is to engage the president in partnership,' Cuomo told reporters. 'This is not time for politics. And lead by example. I am not going to get into a political dispute with the president. I am not going to rise to the bait of a political challenge.'    

He called bringing up politics during the coronavirus 'anti-American.' 

'Forget the politics, we have a national crisis, we are at war,' Cuomo warned. 

Earlier Monday, Trump called into Fox & Friends and said he believed Cuomo would do better in the presidential race than Biden, the Democrats' likely nominee.       

'I wouldn't mind running against Andrew, I've known Andrew for a long time, I wouldn't mind that,' Trump mused. 'I'll be honest I think he'd be a better candidate than "Sleepy Joe."'   

Co-host Steve Doocy asked Trump to give his take on all the pro-Cuomo chatter, pointing out that the New York governor's approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus crisis sits at 87 per cent, according to a recent Siena College poll.  

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President Trump called into 'Fox & Friends' Monday morning and said he believed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would be a stronger presidential pick for the Democrats than Joe Biden, the likely nominee 

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Cuomo is getting renewed attention by Democrats for his handling of the coronavirus crisis, with 87 per cent of the public approving of the job he's done, according to a new Siena College survey 

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Trump said he 'wouldn't mind' running against Cuomo, and then credited the federal response to the coronavirus for the reason the New York governor is getting such high grades in dealing with the crisis 

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Trump then continued to mock Joe Biden (pictured), saying that his campaign will send out a 'highly sophisticated statement,' that Trump said there's no way the former vice president wrote, continuing to mock Biden for being asleep at the wheel

Biden weighs in on Trump's actions to combat the coronavirus

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Trump credited himself for Cuomo's big numbers. 

'Well, one of the reasons his numbers are high on handling it is because of the federal government,' the president said. 

He pointed to the federal response that included sending the hospital ship, the USNS Comfort to New York, along with the building of four hospitals and shipments of ventilators.   

'One of the reasons why he's successful is because we've helped make him successful,' the president continued. 'He's gotten good marks, but I've gotten good marks.' 

Even before Monday's press conference, Cuomo, a friend and political ally to Biden, had given zero indication that he might jump in the presidential race. 

'No, I know presidential politics. I was there in the White House with Clinton. I was there with Gore. No, I'm at peace with who I am and what I'm doing,' Cuomo told The New York Time's Maureen Dowd. She had pointedly asked him if dealing with the crisis had renewed his dream to run for president.  

Even the founder of the @DraftCuomo2020 Twitter account - which launched last week and is nearing 1,000 followers - said the idea was to float Cuomo as a just-in-case Democratic candidate, since both Biden and Bernie Sanders, who remains in the race, are of an advanced age.  

During his call with 'Fox & Friends' Monday morning, Trump said he would be 'fine' if Cuomo jumped in the race. 

'I wouldn't mind running against Andrew, I don't mind running against Joe Biden,' Trump said. 

With all candidates off the campaign trail due to the coronavirus, the president mentioned how Biden's campaign has been attacking him, sending out, for example a 'highly sophisticated statement.' 

'Joe Biden didn't write that statement and I guarantee Joe Biden didn't event see that statement,' Trump said, mocking the former vice president for being asleep at the wheel. 

'No, I think probably Andrew would be better,' Trump added. 

The president then hinted that he thought Cuomo would do a better job in the role than Biden. 

'I want somebody at this country that's going to do a great job and I hope I'm going to win and the polls say I'm going to win and now it's every poll that says I'm going to win,' Trump boasted. 

Polling between Trump and Biden shows Biden winning nearly every time. 

The Real Clear Politics polling average currently has the ex-veep 5.8 points ahead of the current Oval Office occupant. 

The last poll to show Trump beating Biden was an Emerson survey that came out in mid-February. 

Since then, 14 other national polls have come out. 

They all show Biden beating Trump.