The WashingtonTimes is reporting today that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is planning to run as an independent in the 2008 presidential election and has set aside $1 billion of his personal fortune to spend on his campaign. "Bloomberg is H. Ross Perot on steroids," said former Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael Toner. "He could turn the political landscape of this election upside down, spend as much money as he wanted and proceed directly to the general election. He would have resources to hire an army of petition-gatherers in those states where thousands of petitions are required to qualify a third-party presidential candidate to be on the ballot."
Accoding to the Washington Times, both Democratic and Republican leaders are taking the Bloomberg threat seriously. One Bloomberg adviser reports that consultants now working for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) are ready to jump ship and help Bloomberg if he runs. Observers note that Bloomberg would have more money to spend than either of the two major party candidates if he commits the $1 billion. Social conservatives in the party have primarily been worried about Mayor Rudy Guiliani winning the GOP nomination. Bloomberg's candidacy might actually hurt Guiliani's bid if moderates join forces behind Bloomberg. Bloomberg could then run in the center alone against a more conservative GOP candidate like Mitt Romney and a more liberal candidate like Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).
5 comments:
Bloomie cold alter the landscape single-handedly.
He detests Gulliani, as do many Bloomie supporters, so half of this is Manhattan egos.
But he'd draw votes from all quarters. He can't win, but he can be a spoiler.
Interesting stuff. Thanks, AI.
Anybody from NY NOT running for president in '08? :P
He would be a welcome. Perhaps he would provide refreshing views.
Bye Bye US Constitution if Bloomberg wins. He wants to gut the Bill of Rights, starting with the 2nd Amendment.
AI- Even more intriguing- Chuck Hagel met with Bloomberg about (so goes the rumor) a Hagel-Bloomberg Independent Pres. ticket. Hagel (lifetime R)is completely outraged by, in his words, the "narrow-minded" views that have taken over his party. I've been hoping Hagel would jump in on the R side, but, if he ran as an Independent, that would be even better. I think that the Hagel-Bloomberg ticket info was in the WP story, but, I'm not sure where I saw it.
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