Bloomberg considering run for the presidency

[Quixote1818]

N.Y. Mayor Is Eyeing '08, Observers Say

By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 26, 2007; A01

New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a self-made billionaire, has told friends more than once that his definition of good financial planning is making sure the check to the undertaker bounces when it's finally time to go.

So how does a billionaire spend all his money before he dies? In Bloomberg's case, he just might drop a cool half-billion on a long-shot bid to become the nation's first modern president from outside the two major political parties.

As fellow New Yorkers Rudolph W. Giuliani (R) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) campaign vigorously across the country to become their parties' nominees and prepare for what would be an electric general-election clash, Bloomberg is governing the "ungovernable city" -- and patiently waiting in the wings.

Publicly, the Democrat-turned-Republican professes no interest in the top job at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. But the founder of the Bloomberg financial news empire has dropped enough hints and has had enough tantalizing discussions with potential supporters that people who observe the city's politics for a living are convinced he is at least thinking about it.




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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/25/AR2007032501334_pf.html

[michreject]

1. Not a chance in Hell.........nt

[NYCGirl]

2. I wouldn't mind if he wanted to siphon off GOP votes. I'd even thank him! NT

[WI_DEM]

4. I'm not sure he would hurt the GOP candidate or the Dem candidate

I look at 1980 where John Anderson, a GOP congressman from Illinois ran, he was fiscally conservative but socially liberal. He ended up hurting the Democrats and President Carter more than Ronald Reagan. Anderson wound up with 6.6% of the popular vote but got 15% in Massachusetts (a state Carter lost to Reagan by only about 1%), and over 10% in Vermont, Maine, and certainly threw NY to Reagan. Carter lost NY by 120,000 votes while Anderson got over 400,000.

[NYCGirl]

6. I'd guess that even though Bloomberg is much more popular than Giuliani was in NYC,

the vote would still go to the Democrat. Outside of NYC, you might be right.

[Perky]

3. A dream come true

It would absolutel fracture the GOP in to two or three factions and they would finish in third place.

Now keep in mind that the only reason Bloomber won NYC as a Republican is because the Dems in NYC are a bumch of backstabbers--circular fireing squad. Bloomberg would never be acceptable to either the Democratic base or to social conservatives. Stilll he might be appealing to a good portion of everyone else...

I think he only would win if Hillary was the nominee and would finish second behind Obama

Just think what would happen in the SOuth. Cosnervatives would be split between Bloomberg and say Romney or McCain and Obama would win a plurality with say 40% in many states

[WI_DEM]

5. See my response, above. Not sure he would hurt the GOP or The Dems

kind of depends on who the GOP nominates.

[EVDebs]

7. I'm also hearing that Fred Thompson is being pushed by the GOP

'cuz he's "electable" according to the GOP. I also remember that Bush was pushed as "electable" when he first started out.

The uberclass with all the money doesn't care WHO they get as their latest frontman, don't you get it people ?

And Newt Gingrich...gimme a break !