Giuliani won't rule out N.Y. governor run

One-time presidential candidate says he'll think about it when time comes

Nousha Salimi / AP

Rudolph Giuliani, Former Mayor of New York City, delivers a speech during the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum, Sunday, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

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updated 12:24 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2008

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Rudy Giuliani said Sunday he will consider running for governor of New York and isn't ruling out a second attempt at the U.S. presidency.

A one-time presidential front-runner and former mayor of New York City, Giuliani dropped out of the race for Republican nominee in January after losing the primary in Florida, where he had poured the bulk of his campaign resources.

"No one knows whether you'll do something again until you come to the point of: 'Is it possible to do it again? Would you have a chance of winning?'" he said of a second White House bid following a speech in Dubai. "I mean those are just things you can't evaluate right now."

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He said Sunday he is not sure whether a different strategy would have won him the nomination. The financial crisis gave Democrats a natural advantage in this month's elections, he said.

"If you had told me a year ago we would have a major economic crisis, I would've told you it would be very hard for any Republican ... to win," he said in during a question-and-answer session with CNN International anchor Hala Gorani at the Leaders in Dubai Business Forum.

'I'll think about it'
In response to a question, Giuliani did not rule out running for governor of New York.

"I don't know if I'd be interested in it, but I'll think about it when the right time comes along," Giuliani said.

Current New York Governor David Paterson said last month he will run in 2010 for a full term in office. He assumed office after his predecessor Eliot Spitzer resigned earlier this year amid a prostitution scandal.

Giuliani sidestepped a question about whether he would serve in Barack Obama's administration.

"You never answer questions like that hypothetically," Giuliani said. "Very few people ever turn the president down, but that's an unrealistic situation."

The Republican, a former federal prosecutor, served as associate attorney general under President Ronald Reagan. His name was among those mentioned as a possible attorney general pick had eventual Republican nominee John McCain been elected president.