Source: New York Post

NEWARK, N.J. -- Newark, N.J., mayor Cory Booker, who was gunning for a spot in President Barack Obama's cabinet, lost the chance after he shot his mouth off during a blunderingly honest television appearance last month, sources said.

"He's dead to us," one ranking administration official said of the prevailing feelings at the White House and Obama re-election campaign headquarters in Chicago.

Booker had been angling for the role of housing secretary in a second Obama term, according to sources in the administration and close to the mayor.

The job was certainly a possibility, given Booker's work in New Jersey's biggest city, according to administration and Democratic Party sources.

Thinking highly of Booker, Obama's campaign asked him to appear on "Meet the Press" on May 20, but he proceeded to eviscerate one of the president's key campaign themes.

Booker told a national TV audience the president's attacks on presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney's record at private-equity firm Bain Capital were "nauseating" and made him "very uncomfortable."

"I have to just say from a very personal level, I'm not about to sit here and indict private equity," Booker said. "If you look at the totality of Bain Capital's record, they've done a lot to support businesses."

Top Obama aides insisted Booker immediately backpedal from his comments. But the mayor refused.

Booker did post an online video that night but it was neither cleared by the campaign nor acceptable to Obama strategists.

The next night, Booker went on Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show to talk about his earlier comments without discussing it with the campaign.

During that appearance, Booker made it look as if he had been ordered to retract his comments because he decided to "clarify" them after "he did talk with campaign officials."

"Cory and Barack Obama have never been besties, but that was the final nail. It's like, 'You're dead and done.' The firing squad is out," said a Democratic source in contact with both sides.

"It's not just that he messed up, it was that he compounded it and didn't have their back when they gave him a national stage to talk."

The Obama camp tried to play down the bad blood with Booker on Thursday.

"Mayor Booker's comments are behind us and we are working together to re-elect the president in November," head of the Democratic National Committee Patrick Gaspard said.

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