NEW YORK _ Ex-federal prosecutor Preet Bharara, while not in the race for state attorney general right now, won't entirely rule out a run.
The corruption-busting Bharara, speaking on his podcast, shared his unease with politics while leaving himself some wiggle room in the contest to replace Eric Schneiderman.
"The question about what I'll do in respect to the election in November, that's for another day," Bharara said. "That said, I think politics is not really for me but it is an important job. ... So we'll see."
The former U.S. attorney in Manhattan is among the many names floated as a possible candidate to replace Schneiderman, who resigned Monday night amid allegations of choking and slapping women.
State voters will go the polls this November to choose Schneiderman's successor. Bharara's name surfaced almost immediately, with the former prosecutor recounting that people were stopping him on the street to ask about his plans.
"Frankly, I will tell you I don't know that I want that job," said Bharara. "I've said many times that politics is not my cup of tea. It's not."
Guardian Angels founder/radio host Curtis Sliwa was among the first to tout Bharara as a replacement for Schneiderman.
Bharara said he wanted no part of the state legislature's process to select an interim attorney general. City Public Advocate Letitia James has already emerged as the favorite for the temp job.
"It does have the look and feel of a backroom deal, and that's something I don't want to be a part of," said Bharara.
He instead called for Schneiderman's current interim replacement, Barbara Underwood, to stay on through the election.
Underwood was bumped up from state solicitor general, and Bharara said she would bring "continuity, stability, gravitas" to the position in the wake of the Schneiderman scandal.
"They should do the thing that makes the most obvious sense to me," he said.
