Left-handed Complement

MUDGE’S Musings

The current issue of Business Week contains an interesting interview by Maria Bartiromo of Charlie Cook, a Washington DC based political analyst. You may have seen his talking head during an election night or two on NBC.

Political Guru Charlie Cook on the Primaries

FACE TIME By Maria Bartiromo | January 21, 2008

Charlie Cook, political analyst photographed on 8 January 2008 in Washington DC Chris Usher

MARIA BARTIROMO

What will be the biggest issues in the election?

CHARLES COOK

I think it’s going to be the economy and America’s place in the world. And one of the things that’s sparking Obama’s rise is the idea of restoring respect for America.

Who displays the best grasp of economic issues?
Mike Bloomberg. What’s interesting is that if you look at polls of Democratic voters, they are very concerned about the economy. Republican voters just don’t seem to be showing that much concern about where the economy is going. But once the GOP nominee emerges, the economy is going to assert itself as a very, very big issue in the general election.

Guess it’s not just New York types who like Mike. Second question – out flops Bloomberg.

Could he win?
[Third-party candidate] Ross Perot was at 30% percent and in first place at one point in June, 1992, and an independent candidate would need to be able to get 37% to 39% of the popular vote to start winning a bunch of states by small margins and assemble the 270 electoral votes necessary. It’s plausible. A very bright, very impressive person spending $1 billion, with no fund-raising expenses and no nomination fights, could win if the stars line up right in the sense of both parties’ nominees emerging badly damaged.

We just posted this grid a few days ago, but here’s what we’ve been talking about since last June:

Bartiromo’s interview of Cook covers all of the major candidates of both parties, but Bloomberg was discussed first.

Definitely attention grabbing.

[Please click the link below for the complete article — but then please come on back!]

Political Guru Charlie Cook on the Primaries

MUDGE thinks that third party candidates stir the pot; sell advertising and commercials; buy advertising and commercials; and generally pique the interest of the commentariat. Oh, boy, a three-way!

But could there be more going on? With the economy seemingly headed for recession (ugh, the dreaded “R”-word!), perhaps having a leader who is recognized as very smart where economic issues are concerned might be seen by more than just political types as salutary for the U.S.

Last time we facetiously (that’s our story now) proposed an Obama-Bloomberg ticket, but I’ll bet Business Week would love a Michael Bloomberg-Warren Buffett ticket!

It’s it for now. Thanks,

–MUDGE

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This entry was posted on Monday, January 14th, 2008 at 7:49 pm and is filed under Economy, musings, Politics, Presidential election. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.