New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of America's most respected politicians and a self-made multi-millionaire, has issued a statement that he is leaving the Republican Party. Politics watchers are sitting up and taking notice, wondering if there is another shoe about to drop. Is Bloomberg planning to run for President?
Democrats, are you thinking that this is wonderful news? Please note that Bloomberg did not join the Dems. No, he repudiated both major parties and chose to become an Independent. Uh-oh, does that mean that we will see a three way race for the presidency with a viable third name.? Could be. That could be extremely bad news for the Dems. Why? Because conventional wisdom dictates that the Dem nominee for the White House will have one advantage over the Republican- namely, being free of the George W. Bush taint. That advantage disappears if Bloomberg weighs in with a Democrat-similar platform (note that he supports environmental values, gun control, and a woman's right to chose) yet without the negatives of Democrat partisanship and perceived anti business attitudes. Uh oh indeed. Bloomberg has always been a RINO, Republican in name only, so he stands to compete against the Dems more than against his former party if he dives into the race.
Bloomberg, who enjoys a 70% approval rating in NYC, could make the race even more interesting. But remember the ancient Chinese curse- "May you live in interesting times"? Yeah, Wars and the Plague are interesting, but they are not fun. The problem with a three way race is that it risks putting the worse of the top two candidates in by siphoning off support from the top candidate.
Or none of this could be the plan, and he could have designs on some lesser political job. If that is the case, Dems will say bless you Michael and wish him all the best. After all, he is a Dem in policy terms, he just did not take on the name. By the way, Bloomber claims to have no presidential aspirations and promises to spend the next few years at NYC City Hall, so this may be a tempest in a teapot for the 2008 election.
What are your thoughts on this spicy political tidbit?
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Comments: 15
I think politicians from New York running for president should be forced to live in Podunk, Iowkansabraska for a year before they can run. The view from New York is just too skewed for them to have any kind of realistc idea of what America is about.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments, everyone.
Regardless, a 70% approval as Mayor of a City of 8mm of the World's biggest cynics is a pretty cool gig for now, and not being beholden to either party is brilliant. They'll all be on their knees.
Unlike Perot or the Libertarians, Bloomberg has nothing many people would look at twice. He like to spend money (preferably other peoples) and is someone from the East Coast. He is not particularly fiscally tight and his social policies are no different than the majority of Dems running.
He'll likely get some votes but I hazard the states he'll get them from are pretty solidly Dem anyway. I don't think unless its a Hillary-McCain race it will much matter and even then only on some state fringes...
He's been a good mayor in NYC (I'm in the NYC area) and maybe he needs to kick the Republican party to the curb. Yeah, he's got money but so does the current Resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and no one's having a litter of kittens over it.
Like Sylvia said earlier, we have another Ross Perot on our hands.