MUDGE’S Musings
The continuing saga of Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, and his feinting and hinting about a presidential campaign hit the front page of NYTimes Friday.
One measurement that this story has legs is its regular appearance since mid-June in this nanocorner of the ‘Sphere©.
Now Mayor Bloomberg’s newspaper of record broadcasts a discouraging word. Perhaps the voting public, especially those voters who are his constituents in New York, are becoming a bit testy over his aforementioned feinting and hinting.
The peg for today’s story was Bloomberg’s trip to Oklahoma City this week, where bunches of former (I almost said politician, but my experience is that there’s no such thing as a former politician. Politician, or deceased politician are the two varieties) elected officials gathered to assess the terrain: Is the U.S. ready for a serious third political party, and is Michael Bloomberg the man to become its presidential candidate?
The Times indicates that people might have begun to classify Bloomberg with Fred Thompson, who took all summer to decide to run (or merely took a nap all summer?). We can see how Thompson is faring.
Couldn’t resist running the photograph that accompanied the on-line version of the story.
The caption is in MUDGE’s favorite type, 2-point Myopia, so we’ll tell you the woman in white at his right is Diana Taylor, his companion, and Silda Wall Spitzer, wife of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is at his left.
Calls Grow for Bloomberg to Make Up His Mind
By DIANE CARDWELL and RAY RIVERA
Published: January 11, 2008
Nearly every day a tiny new development trickles out from the stealth presidential campaign of Michael R. Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor of New York.
He has talked with Chuck Hagel and Sam Nunn, potential running mates. He has delivered a tart critique of the presidential field. He is conducting intricate polling to test his appeal in all 50 states.
Mr. Bloomberg’s dalliance with the idea of running for president has stretched on and on, with his enthusiastic approval despite the public denials. But even before actually entering the contest, Mr. Bloomberg may have already risked losing something: people’s patience.
So here’s why this story continues to intrigue:
To be sure, there is little indication that ordinary voters around the country have given much thought to a Bloomberg candidacy, especially given the dramatic primary races in the two major parties. But his enormous wealth and willingness to spend it make him someone who cannot be ignored within the political world.
But, all may not be well at home, while Mayor Mike tours the world, and Oklahoma.
[Please click the link below for the complete article — but then please come on back!]
Calls Grow for Bloomberg to Make Up His Mind – New York Times
Interesting also the news that Unity08, a high profile interest group working nationwide toward a viable third party, written about here several times until we became concerned about their motives, is cutting back its activities in that direction.
One dirty tricks theory of U.S. politics says that third party candidates cause so much mischief to Democratic candidates (think Ralph Nader) that Karl Rove and his ilk must be the éminence grise behind them.
In that light, maybe Mike should stay home?
It’s it for now. Thanks,
–MUDGE
Posted by mudge 
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