Last week, Pataki said he would be in Exeter, the New Hampshire town known as the birthplace of the Republican Party, on May 28 to announce whether he would be a candidate. In an interview on CNN on Wednesday he joked about his trip to the state, which plays a key role in determining presidential nominees.
"There are some things going on in New Hampshire," he said. "I think it's called a primary, something like that, first in the nation."
While stopping short of announcing plans to run, Pataki said he thought conditions had gotten worse globally. "If you have an ability to lead and you sit it out, shame on you."Pataki, who served three terms as New York governor from 1995 through 2007, would join a Republican presidential field that already includes Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul; former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee; former corporate executive Carly Fiorina; and political newcomer Ben Carson.