February 26, 2008
Bloomberg on Times' McCain Story: "That's Not 'All The News That's Fit to Print.'"
Mayor Bloomberg weighed in on two big Election 2008 developments: The NY Times story about John McCain's relationship with a lobbyist and Ralph Nader's third party presidential bid.
Bloomberg was unimpressed with the Times story, saying, "I think that the story alleged things either explicitly or implicitly that they had no evidence for. That's not, 'All the news that's fit to print." The media mogul also said, "If there is evidence on the record of serious wrongdoing that pertains to somebody's ability to serve, yeah, sure, that is the press's job," but pointed out that NY Times public editor Clark Hoyt was also critical of the article.
As for Nader, whose third party run could theoretically open up doors to his own presidential ambitions, Bloomberg was supportive, "Everybody's got a right to do it - you're not spoiling anything...If people want to vote for you, let them vote for you, and why shouldn't they?" But he's realistic, too, "it would take a lot of money that probably Ralph Nader doesn't have." Subtext: Someone who does have money is...Bloomberg!
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I'm tired of this Draft Bloomberg crap. The guy would get killed. I seem to remember another short, goofy looking billionaire who ran for president. How'd Perot do?
What? You mean the backlash against the NYT was really about shoddy journalism?
Bloomberg is no Perot, because (1) he's been elected to public office and done a good job and (2) he isn't crazy.
That said, I can't imagine him entering the race at this point. If the Republican nominee were someone other than McCain and the Democrats nominated Hillary, perhaps. But I don't see it happening in an Obama v. McCain race.
The whole point of Bloomberg's feign run is to be able to throw some weight around and get bones thrown his and the city's way. He's not going to run, never planned to. Next year, he'll be mulling running for governor. See, this is how you avoid being a lame duck.
Evekantspel--
He's not as crazy as Perot, but I hate to tell you, Mayor of NY is not that big a deal in the rest of the US. See: Giuliani, Rudy.
Bloomberg is almost as much an unknown in the rest of the country as Perot was outside of Texas. Everyone's heard of him, but he's not a personality outside of NY. What do you know of Richard Daley? Villaragosa?
I DO think he's going to run for Governor, much to my chagrin. I fear I'm the last person in NY who still really likes Spitzer.
A few years ago, no one had heard of Barack Obama. Several months ago, few people were familiar with the name Huckabee. Those things can change, and Bloomberg has the money to get his name out there.
I was just responding to the comparison to Ross Perot (who, despite being crazy, won a significant number of votes). Still, as I said in the rest of my comment, I don't believe Bloomberg has any plans to run at this point, and would have no chance at winning if he did.