Washington CNN  — 

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is holding off on endorsing Hillary Clinton, saying he wants to see “a clear, bold vision” first.

De Blasio, a progressive champion who managed Clinton’s successful Senate campaign in 2000, said Clinton is among the most qualified presidential contenders in history and “she doesn’t need to be vetted.”

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But he demurred when asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” if he would endorse Clinton – underscoring, at least in appearance, the left’s hesitance about a candidate they see as too centrist and too close to Wall Street to address wage stagnation and income inequality.

“I think like a lot of people in this country I want to see a vision. And, again, that would be true of candidates on all levels. It’s time to see a clear, bold vision for progressive economic change,” De Blasio said.

Host Chuck Todd then asked: “So you’re technically not yet endorsing her?”

“No, not until I see – and, again, I would say this about any candidate – until I see an actual vision of where they want to go,” he said.

His comments raised eyebrows given his status as a former top campaign aide and because Clinton campaigned with de Blasio during his bid for mayor.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who also appeared on “Meet the Press,” downplayed de Blasio’s comments as a bad omen for Clinton from the left. Still, the Democrat said that “people don’t want a coronation.”