Give It Up For Mike Bloomberg…

He certainly knows how to keep his name in the news, as he is introducing Barack Obama today for an economic speech in NYC.

I’m not expecting him to formally endorse, but he’d probably consider it if he were otherwise going to get ignored.

Read more

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Clinton to Appear on SNL Tonight and other notes.

Let’s hope she’s funnier than in the debates. Video will be posted as soon as it’s available.

In other news:

The Texas caucus has disaster written all over it. There needs to be some sort of permanent leaders in these from now on who know what they’re doing. It’s ridiculous to elect a chair and secretary every time. Or, at least, let’s encourage campaigns to work together for on this.

Obama picked up a superdelegate in Alabama.

John Kerry of all people caused the Clinton campaign headaches in Texas.

The Washington Post editorial board (rightly) says both Obama and Clinton are pandering on NAFTA.

Kevin Sheekey, formerly the Bloomberg aide seemingly in charge of floating rumors of Bloomberg running for President, now floats rumors of Bloomberg being Obama’s VP.

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Bloomberg Officially Rules Out Run For President

In an op-ed published in today’s New York Times, Mayor Mike Bloomberg officially rules out a run for president, writing:

I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not — and will not be — a candidate for president.

He ads some optimism about the remaining candidates and Read more

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Why Is Bloomberg Not Considered In Electability Scenarios?

Mike Bloomberg has dropped hints of running as someone who can fix bipartisan bickering and get things done. He gave a major economic speech in Washington today. People are more than happy to cover what Bloomberg is doing.

But no one, and I mean no one, looks at Bloomberg in the context of election scenarios. He’s less likely to run against McCain or Obama, as either of them would take away a lot of his bipartisanship appeal. But the rest of the candidates certainly seem like fair game. Even against Hillary Clinton, Bloomberg rumors have floated.

Take this entry from the Plank. Electability is gone over with a fine tooth comb, just completely around the elephant int he room. Angelo just pointed out that absolutely no one is considering Bloomberg when discussing Edwards electability issues.

Or more recently, Obama commented to David Brody that while he could get Clinton’s supporters, he did not know if she could get his. And people went into a tizzy (see here, here, and here), speculating on whom Obama’s supporters might gravitate towards. Did any of them consider Bloomberg? Absolutely none of them. (Props to the commenters who did, though.)

Look, I’m not saying he’s definitely going to run against Clinton or definitely will not run against Obama. I doubt even he’s made up his mind. But it’s absurd to discuss him as a potential candidate and refuse to look into how he actually might affect things, particularly when you’re trying to look into the future.

If you want to know why so much horserace analysis is so bad, this is a perfect example. People need to look at what is right in front of them, and not just what they think is right in front of them.

When you have the likes of Al Gore, Mike Bloomberg, and Newt Gingrich going far beyond what candidates from either side are saying, it’s worth considering the viability of a candidate who could literally drop billions in the race, especially with the delegate leaders being those of limited appeal like Clinton and Romney right now.

[Image Credit: Flickr User wallyg under a Creative Commons license]

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Bloomberg Talks Economy In California; Takes Additional Steps Toward Run, Maybe

Mike Bloomberg, who continues to deny that he will run for president, visited the electoral college rich state of California this past weekend to discuss the economy. Appearing with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Bloomberg announced the creation of a nonpartisan coalition, focused on infrastructure projects across the US, called “Building America’s Future.” The coalition is described as follows:

It is envisioned that the coalition will be comprised of state and local elected officials from around the nation and will become a repository of best practices on infrastructure funding issues. In the short-term, the coalition will work with the presidential candidates and the platform committees of the national political parties to ensure that the next president understands the enormity of the infrastructure crisis and is committed to increasing federal funding for infrastructure. The Rockefeller Foundation has committed to provide funding for coalition staffing and resources.

Keeping in line with his independent status, Bloomberg blasted both parties in Washington for not doing enough about infrastructure, saying:

“We cannot hand our children a nation that is crumbling from neglect…But Washington, as you know, spends money on winning votes and collecting campaign cash, no matter what the real needs are.”

Following up with the economy theme, the NY Times offers a glowing insight into Bloomberg’s ideas to battle poverty:

The official poverty line is itself one of the main things the mayor wants to do something about. The federal government currently puts it at income of $20,650 a year for a family of four, a calculation set at three times the annual cost of basic groceries. Mr. Bloomberg wants to break free of that archaic formula, and he seems unafraid that the new metric could reveal that there are even more poor New Yorkers than we thought.

The mayor, who made his personal fortune analyzing data, seems inclined to factor in what households spend on the real big-ticket items of urban life. That includes housing, child care and utilities — expenses that did not loom as large 40 years ago. Food, meanwhile, now claims a smaller proportion of income — about one-seventh — thanks in part to mass-production.

Mr. Bloomberg, who is working with the National Academy of Sciences and other experts, appears to be leaning toward factoring in housing costs and counting assistance, like food stamps, as income. The resulting yardstick should not only be more reliable, it should also help gauge the success of investments that New York is making — about $150 million, mostly in private funds — to help the poor. It could also provide a model for cities that have struggled with poverty.

As if the California event wasn’t enough, on his way out there, Bloomberg met with a ballot access expert in Texas:

Bloomberg met privately Friday with Clay Mulford, who is well-versed in third-party ballot access and served as campaign manager for Perot, according to an individual close to the mayor. The Texas businessman sought the presidency in 1992 and 1996.

The meeting with Mulford came less than two months before Bloomberg would be able to start gathering signatures to get on the ballot and meet Texas’ early deadline.

If Bloomberg wants a chance at winning the state’s large slice of electoral votes — 34 — he would need to collect about 74,100 signatures by May 12, and he could not begin circulating petitions in Texas until March 5. Not only does he have a short window to petition — the signatures need to be from Texas residents who did not vote in a party primary.

During a news conference, Bloomberg was asked about the significance of being in Texas, with its early ballot deadline. He seemed irritated with the question, having denied being in the race only a moment earlier.

”I just said I’m not a candidate — it couldn’t be clearer,” he said. “Which of the words do you not understand? People have urged me to do it, but I’m not a candidate.”

Despite his public denials, Bloomberg has been consulting with people such as Mulford and is conducting an analysis of voter data in all 50 states to better understand his chances as a third-party candidate. Aides have said he would delay a decision until after the major parties produce clear front-runners.

I’m still not convinced a Bloomberg candidacy is more likely than not. That said, I’m working on a longer post that looks at the potential issues a Bloomberg run raises for both the Mayor and the potential Democratic and Republican nominees.

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Bloomberg Featured In Ads In Iowa And New Hampshire

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg may deny that he’s running for president, but you wouldn’t be able to guess that with his Google Adwords buy, issuing a statement on international events and now by running newspaper ads in Iowa and New Hampshire. Yesterday, Mayors Against Illegal Guns ran ads in The Des Moines Register and The New Hampshire Union Leader that asked where the candidates stand on illegal guns and contained a picture of Mayor Bloomberg and several other mayors from the organization.

It was a gentle reminder about the questionnaire that the organization submitted to all the campaigns earlier this month that they asked the campaigns to return to them by January 2, 2008. Thus far, none of the surveys have been turned in yet.

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Candidate Statements on the Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Bill Richardson:

“Benazir Bhutto was a courageous woman. Her death, and the deaths of so many of her supporters, is more than just a tragedy. It is a testament to the will of the Pakistani people to see democracy restored. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who died today.

“Ms. Bhutto knew the dangers to her safety. But she would not be intimidated. We also must not be intimidated.

A leader has died, but democracy must live. The United States government cannot stand by and allow Pakistan’s return to democracy to be derailed or delayed by violence.

We must use our diplomatic leverage and force the enemies of democracy to yield: President Bush should press Musharraf to step aside, and a broad-based coalition government, consisting of all the democratic parties, should be formed immediately. Until this happens, we should suspend military aid to the Pakistani government. Free and fair elections must also be held as soon as possible.

It is in the interests of the US that there be a democratic Pakistan that relentlessly hunts down terrorists. Musharraf has failed, and his attempts to cling to power are destabilizing his country. He must go.”

Hillary Clinton:

“I am profoundly saddened and outraged by the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, a leader of tremendous political and personal courage. I came to know Mrs. Bhutto over many years, during her tenures as Prime Minister and during her years in exile. Mrs. Bhutto’s concern for her country, and her family, propelled her to risk her life on behalf of the Pakistani people. She returned to Pakistan to fight for democracy despite threats and previous attempts on her life and now she has made the ultimate sacrifice. Her death is a tragedy for her country and a terrible reminder of the work that remains to bring peace, stability, and hope to regions of the globe too often paralyzed by fear, hatred, and violence.

“Let us pray that her legacy will be a brighter, more hopeful future for the people she loved and the country she served. My family and I extend my condolences and deepest sympathies to the victims and their families and to the people of Pakistan.”

John McCain:

“I was deeply saddened today to learn about the death of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. My deepest condolences go out to the family and supporters of this remarkable woman, an individual who paid the ultimate price for her embrace of moderation and rejection of extremism.

“The death of Benazir Bhutto underscores yet again the grave dangers we face in the world today and particularly in countries like Pakistan, where the forces of moderation are arrayed in a fierce battle against those who embrace violent Islamic extremism.

“Given Pakistan’s strategic location, the international terrorist groups that operate from its soil, and its nuclear arsenal, the future of that country has deep implications for the security of the United States and its allies. America must stand on the right side of this ongoing struggle.

“In my numerous visits to Pakistan - to Islamabad, to Peshawar, even to the tribal areas of Waziristan - I have seen first hand the many challenges that face the political leadership there, challenges so graphically portrayed by today’s tragedy. There are, in Pakistan, brave individuals who seek to lead their country away from extremism and instability and into the light of a better day. America, I believe, must do all we can to support them.”

Mitt Romney:

“We are still learning the details of today’s tragic events in Pakistan, but this is a stark reminder that America must not only stay on high alert, but remain actively engaged across the globe. Pakistan has long been a key part in the war against extremism and radical jihadists. For those who think Iraq is the sole front in the War on Terror, one must look no further than what has happened today. America must show its commitment to stand with all moderate forces across the Islamic world and together face the defining challenge of our generation – the struggle against violent, radical jihadists.

“At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers go to the family of Benazir Bhutto, and to all the people of Pakistan who are fighting against extremist forces that would commit such heinous acts as the whole world has witnessed today.”

Barack Obama:

“I am shocked and saddened by the death of Benazir Bhutto in this terrorist atrocity. She was a respected and resilient advocate for the democratic aspirations of the Pakistani people. We join with them in mourning her loss, and stand with them in their quest for democracy and against the terrorists who threaten the common security of the world,” said United States Senator Barack Obama.

Rudy Giuliani:

“The assassination of Benazir Bhutto is a tragic event for Pakistan and for Democracy in Pakistan. Her murderers must be brought to justice and Pakistan must continue the path back to democracy and the rule of law. Her death is a reminder that terrorism anywhere — whether in New York, London, Tel Aviv or Rawalpindi — is an enemy of freedom. We must redouble our efforts to win the Terrorists’ War on Us.”

Mike Huckabee:

“I am deeply troubled by the news accounts this morning of Pakistani opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in a suicide attack. This is devastating news for the people of Pakistan, and my prayers go out to them as we follow developments regarding this dire situation.

”The terrible violence surrounding Pakistan’s upcoming election stands in stark contrast to the peaceful transition of power that we embrace in our country through our Constitution. On this sad day, we are reminded that while our democracy has flaws, it stands as a shining beacon of hope for nations and people around the world who seek peace and opportunity through self-government.”

John Edwards

“Benazir Bhutto was a brave and historic leader for Pakistan. Her assassination is a sad and solemn event, and our hearts go out to her family and to the Pakistani people. But we will not let this contemptible, cowardly act delay the march of progress in Pakistan for a single second.

“I have seen firsthand in Pakistan, and in meetings with Prime Minister Bhutto and President Musharraf, the instability of the country and the complexity of the challenges they face. At this critical moment, America must convey both strength and principle. We should do everything in our power to help bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice and to ensure that Bhutto’s movement toward democracy continues.”

Joe Biden

“This is a terrible day. My heart goes out to Benazir Bhutto’s family, friends and followers.

“Like her father before her, Benazir Bhutto worked her whole life – and gave her life – to help Pakistan become a democratic, secular and modern Muslim country. She was a woman of extraordinary courage who returned to Pakistan in the face of death threats and even after an assassination attempt the day of her return, she did not flinch. It was a privilege to know her these many years and to call her a friend.

“I am convinced Ms. Bhutto would have won free and fair elections next week. The fact that she was by far Pakistan’s most popular leader underscores the fact that there is a vast, moderate majority in Pakistan that must have a clear voice in the system. Her assassination makes it all the more urgent that Pakistan return to a democratic path.

“This fall, I twice urged President Musharraf to provide better security for Ms. Bhutto and other political leaders – I wrote him before her return and after the first assassination attempt in October. The failure to protect Ms. Bhutto raises a lot of hard questions for the government and security services that must be answered.

“I know that Benazir’s followers will be tempted to lash out in anger and violence. I urge them to remain calm – and not play into the hands of the forces of destruction. I urge Pakistan’s leaders to open a fully accountable and transparent investigation. We must find out who was behind this and bring those responsible to justice. And the United States should offer any assistance necessary, including investigative teams, to get to the bottom of this horror.

“The way to honor Benazir Bhutto is to uphold the values for which she gave her life: democracy, moderation and social justice. I join with the Pakistani people in mourning the loss of a dear friend.”

Chris Dodd:

“Today’s news from Pakistan is both shocking and saddening. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, I have had the opportunity to travel to Pakistan and come to know Former Prime Minister Bhutto very well over the years. I spoke to her personally several weeks ago and have stayed in close contact with her since. She was a respected leader who played an important part in moving Pakistan toward democracy.

“As we recognize the loss of a leader today, we must also recognize the implication of today’s tragedy to the security of the region and to that of the United States.

“At this critical time we must do everything in our power to help Pakistan continue the path toward democracy and full elections. Our first priority must be to ensure stability in this critical nuclear state.

“The United States should also stand ready to provide assistance in investigating this heinous act. And as Pakistan perpetrators to justice, it should also demonstrate that it will not allow such violence to derail democracy and proceed with elections in a timely manner.”

Dennis Kucinich:

“This is a very dangerous moment for the world. Prime Minister Bhuttorepresented the forces of reform and the hope for an end to repression in a troubled region, and her death is a major loss to those efforts.”

“This terrible tragedy also underscores the need for the United States to adopt a new foreign policy toward the entire region because our current policy is all wrong. Our interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan has opened wide the doors of repression and violence. At this very moment, we should be working with leaders of the region to convene a meeting at the highest levels to begin a new effort towards stabilization and peace.”

“The United States must take a new direction in Pakistan and throughout the region. I met her several times, both in Washington and New York. She was deeply and genuinely dedicated to Pakistan. This is a tragic loss.”

Mike Bloomberg:

“Today all New Yorkers, including the more than 100,000 who can trace their heritage to Pakistan, are saddened to learn about the assassination of Pakistan’s Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Hers was a voice for democracy, and the silencing of it — by such brutal means - is a shock to us all. Ms. Bhutto’s death — and the deaths of the many other Pakistanis who were killed today simply for expressing their views - is a great loss for friends of democracy and for everyone who is united in the fight against terror. It’s also a grim reminder that many people consider the freedoms we cherish a threat. The perpetrators of this violent act must be brought to justice, and it is my hope that President Musharraf will follow through on free and fair elections in January as a testament to Ms. Bhutto’s legacy.”

Any other comments by other candidates will be added as soon as possible.

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2008Central.net’s Presidential Election Podcast (10/29/07)

This podcast covers: (1) Poll craziness - Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney; (2) Romney’s speech on faith; (3) Obama ratcheting up pressure on Clinton; (4) Consequences in Florida for DNC; (5) Chris Dodd on Meet The Press; (6) Tom Tancredo is not running for re-election; (7) Kucinich, Richardson and UFOs; (8) Edwards brings the hammer on UNC student reporter; (9) Mike Bloomberg buying Google AdWords; (10) and more…

Feel free to email us questions/suggestions for next week’s podcast (you can also email an audio file of your question and we’ll include it in the podcast).

Subscribe to 2008Central.net’s Presidential Election Podcast

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Mike Bloomberg Buying 2008 Election Related Google Adwords

Just saying is all…

I noticed today that Mike Bloomberg has purchased Google Adwords, some of which must be related to the 2008 election, since they are popping up with other election related links on election related stories. I don’t think this means anything other than an attempt to drive some traffic to his website, while putting in minimal effort to keep his options open should an opportunity arise for him to enter the race.

Related at 2008Central.net:

• Bloomberg Continues to Deny He’s Running (8/21/07)
• A Taste of Who Mike Bloomberg Is (7/3/07)

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Bloomberg Continues to Deny He’s Running

This time, he added that he couldn’t win anyways:

“Nobody’s going to elect me president of the United States,” he told Dan Rather for a program that will air Tuesday on cable’s HDNet channel. “What I’d like to do is to be able to influence the dialogue. I’m a citizen.”

The billionaire left the Republican Party recently to become an independent, throwing into overdrive the speculation that he will make a run for the White House.

Bloomberg likes to throw water on the rumors while simultaneously keeping them alive behind the scenes. His aides are not bashful about promoting the idea that he could jump into the race next year as a self-financed independent candidate.

Rather, after interviewing Bloomberg, went on to tell Chris Matthews that he would not bet against Bloomberg running against NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer when his term was up.

We’ve said constantly that Bloomberg would run only if both parties nominated candidates towards their extremes; perhaps if Edwards and Romney were nominated, but certainly he would only run if he thought he could win. With the current political winds seeming to indicate that moderates will probably be nominated - and Bloomberg will certainly not run against fellow NY politicians Clinton or Giuliani - it’s time to put the Bloomberg idea on the back burner.

[Photo Credit: flickr user DavisMcDavis]

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Former Senator Sam Nunn Considers Third Party Run For President

Speaking to The Atlanta Journal Constitution, former Georgia Senator Sam Nunn, a Democrat, indicated that he’s interested in running for President as an independent:

“It’s a possibility, not a probability,” said Nunn, now the head of a nonprofit organization out to reduce the threat posed by nuclear, biological and chemical weaponry. “My own thinking is, it may be a time for the country to say, ‘Timeout. The two-party system has served us well, historically, but it’s not serving us now.’”

Recognizing the challenges that he would face as a third party candidate, Nunn hopes that a run for president would at least offer him the ability to shape/influence foreign policy as well as gain attention for his cause of reducing stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

Concerned about the future, growing international frustrations with the United States and the Iraq War, Nunn said:

“[The Iraq War is] A fiasco, which we’ve basically mishandled in all directions. We’ll get over it, because we’re a strong country, and we’re indispensable in the sense that we’re the [world] leader. But right now, it’s going to take at least 10 years to rebuild U.S. credibility.”

“Nor has the Bush administration been able to create the necessary climate to make it easy for the world’s Muslim population to isolate jihadist terrorists.”

“We’re in a race between cooperation and catastrophe. And to get cooperation you have to have a vision, and you have to listen. And we’re not perceived as having a vision in this country, and we’re not perceived as listening.”

Nunn served as a Senator from Georgia for 24 years. During his time he was a fairly conservative Democrat, who was able to cross party lines on a range of issues from social to national security. He’s incredibly well respected in the field of national security, so much so that he was often discussed as a possible running mate for John Kerry during the 2004 campaign. His previous ability to cross party lines, his credibility on the major issues of our time and the presence of Unity08 (and/or Bloomberg’s billions) certainly leave open the possibility that Nunn could be more than just a blip on the political radar screen. Earlier this month, Nunn confirmed meeting with Mike Bloomberg, which he described as follows:

“We’ve had conversations about frustration with the fact that the process is flawed. I’ve told him … it may be time for some serious people to look at what I call a time-out and having people of good faith in the Democratic and Republican parties to come together and address the issues that the parties don’t seem to want to address.”

At this point, it’s not clear that Nunn will even be running. All we know is that: 1) he does not intend to make his decision until winter 2008, at the earliest; 2) he will absolutely not accept the VP slot on a Republican or Democratic ticket; 3) there’s definitely an independent minded undercurrent in the political waters that is still largely overlooked by just about everyone and could end up being very influential in the 2008 election.

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Press Released: July 2-9

Press Released will cover press releases over the past week that may have gotten overlooked in the media cycle. It’s not meant to be complete, but should be comprehensive including any release relating to national politics. Any release that is calendar related, not of national concern, or previously blogged about will not be covered here.

This week, we’re also excluding financial report press releases; we’re going to include them in our reports of the detailed financial results we post later in the week.

Duncan Hunter

Hunter called for Bush to pardon Ramos and Compean in light of the Libby commutation.

John McCain

McCain released a transcript of a conference call his senior strategist, John Weaver, had on Monday.

McCain’s statement on July 4.

Text of the address McCain gave to troops in Iraq on July 4.

Mitt Romney

Romney received a newspaper endorsement in Florida, and announced women and veteran support groups in New Hampshire.

Romney commented on July 4.

Romney also commented on Independence Day in Venezuela.

Romney issued a release of his comments he gave to the Young Republican convention tonight.

Ron Paul

Paul touted his win in a straw poll of the Coalition for New Hampshire Taxpayers.

Paul’s campaign was the first to offer their site on the iphone.

Rudy Giuliani

Giuliani picked up an endorsement in South Carolina, and staff additions in South Carolina, North Dakota, and Connecticut.

Excerpts from Giuliani’s remarks this weekend in Georgia and Florida.

Sam Brownback

Brownback won a straw poll in Iowa’s Black Hawk county.

Tom Tancredo

Tancredo launched an Iowa Idol talent search. Whatever to get attention, I guess.

Tancredo also called for pardsons for Ramos and Compean in the wake of the Libby commutation.

Barack Obama

Obama reiterated his stance against the SCOTUS diversity ruling.

Bill Richardson

Richardson took July 4th as an opportunity to declare energy independence.

Christopher Dodd

Dodd broadcast the performance by Paul Simon this week on his website, which now features D-TV.

Dennis Kucinich

Kucinich addressed the Steelworkers Union in Cleveland.

Kucinich also issued a statement on July 4.

Hillary Clinton

Clinton received endorsements in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Nevada.

Clinton launched a social networking page in Spanish.

Joe Biden

Biden received three endorsements in Iowa and five in New Hampshire.

Aside from his initial statement on Libby, Biden issued another statement on Libby as well.

Biden called on the Pentagon to build MRAPS (SUVs with a greater capability of withstanding IED attacks) faster than is scheduled.

John Edwards

Edwards called for a substantial increase in the minimum wage this week.

Edwards issued a statement on July 4.

Edwards received a number of endorsements in Ohio.

Mike Gravel

Gravel called for the war on drugs to be ended.

Mike Bloomberg

Bloomberg touted the record number of affordable housing units available in New York City.

Technical note: all language I use to describe a release is what the candidate uses or what I judge to be the most accurate way of describing the candidate’s position; e.g., if a candidate calls global warming the ‘climate crisis’ I will use that; if they call it ‘alleged global warming’ I will do the same.

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A Taste of Who Mike Bloomberg Is

Jon Friedman of Market Watch has his Bloomberg 101 up for people who don’t know much about him the person:

So here’s my Bloomberg 101:

• Why will Bloomberg run? He loves beating other folks at their game. I can imagine how much satisfaction Mike must be getting from receiving more publicity lately than his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani. The former mayor couldn’t have been happy when Bloomberg recently left the Republican Party, because Mike’s standing as an independent candidate could eventually threaten Giuliani’s chances.
• Why is Bloomberg in politics? Conspiracy theorist that I am, I always figured Mike was influenced by “City Hall,” the 1996 movie with Al Pacino as a short, brilliant, brassy, ethnic mayor. (Hello, Mike!) Check out the movie sometime.
• It may not be easy for reporters to get a lot of “dirt” on Bloomberg. He has a knack for building a superloyal staff. Sure, Bloomberg paid above-average salaries, but people rallied around him because he created a winning atmosphere and he cared about his employees.
• Bloomberg has a short fuse but really means no harm. He will, on occasion, call out a reporter for asking a less than intelligent question.
• If you’re lucky, Bloomberg will favor you with a raunchy joke now and then. When he ran his company, he got a kick out of saying stuff you’d hear in a locker room or on a Wall Street trading desk.
• The endearing joke about Bloomberg at one time was that he’d “think Yiddish and dress British.” He was regarded as such an Anglophile that people thought his chief goal was someday to be named U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom (or the Court of St. James, as it was once known).
• At the recent Time 100 dinner, Medford, Mass., native Bloomberg cited Arnold “Red” Auerbach, the legendary visionary behind the Boston Celtics’ championships, as one of his heroes. I’ve heard that his favorite actresses include, Cybill Shepherd and Sharon Stone. Word also is that he had great affection for “Blazing Saddles.”
• Perhaps the most helpful piece of information I can impart is Bloomberg’s favorite pet expression. It may just be the key to his success, too. It’s something he tells colleagues to make sure they don’t let him down. It’s a four-word statement, or warning: “Don’t f*** it up!”

An example of the sass he gives to reporters can be seen in a recent article with the NY press over crowding on the 4/5 line:

“I take the Lex line most days and it’s not that crowded,” the MetroCard-carrying mayor told several hundred people at a Crain’s New York Business breakfast forum in Midtown.

“So you stand next to people. Get real. This is New York. What’s wrong with that?” added Bloomberg.

And as someone who has lived in NY, I can assure you for better or worse that the tone Bloomberg used was not passive denial, but more of a combative disbelief.

[Photo Credit: Cnn]

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Press Released: Week of June 18-24

Press Released will cover press releases over the past week that may have gotten overlooked in the media cycle. It’s not meant to be complete, but should be comprehensive including any release relating to national politics.

Barack Obama

In what is probably the most important release this week, Obama listed all of the earmarks he requested for this years budget, challenging others to do the same. Ipol already has a good write-up of it here.

Obama released a statement on democratic activist Aung San Suee, who is imprisoned in Burma.

Obama released a statement on clean burning coal, which he said still needed more research before it could be used safely in lieu of the ‘climate crisis.’ He issued another release later in the week saying the energy bill was a “modest first step” towards addressing the crisis.

Obama called for the Employee Free Choice Act to be passed. His campaign issued a statement of his about Nevada Culinary Workers Union settling their contract with Harrah’s.

Obama released a statement that praised The Higher Education Access Act for taking his recommendations, including recommendations to better fund primarily black colleges.

Obama issued a release about the strong ethics reforms he is pushing with Russ Feingold. This was a day before he made the announcement of the strict ethics reforms he would institute if elected President.

Obama joined with Chuck Hagel and Sherrod Brown to sponsor a bill that would improve services for blind veterans.

The Obama campaign announced the participants in the Dinner with Barack.

Bill Richardson

Richardson issued a statement on the actions of the New Mexico Senators regarding the Energy Bill.

Richardson issued a statement on Gay Lesbian Bisexual & Transgender Pride Month.

Richardson issued some press releases honoring the South Carolina firefighters who died.

Richardson said he was pleased the North Koreans have so far kept the promises they made to him when he visited in April.

Richardson called for all troops to be brought home from Iraq.

Christopher Dodd

Dodd hailed the unanimous passage of Head Start funding.

Dodd issued a press release regarding his introduction of legislation to further help the Gulf Coast recover from Katrina.

Dodd and Sen. Shelby introduced legislation to attempt to fix the currency crisis with China.

Dodd teamed with Ted Stevens tto introduce a bill that would give 8 weeks of paid leave for “workers needing time off due to the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a child, spouse or parent with a serious illness or to care for their own serious illness.”

Dodd is upset that Sen. Coburn put a hold on a bill with broad bipartisan support that would provide additional funding for civil rights crimes still unsolved. He wrote an op-ed with Rep. John Lews this week as well.

Dodd issued a release calling for greater pressure to be put on Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Dennis Kucinich

Kucinich was upset that Congress voted Iran in violation of the 1948 Convention on Genocide because of Ahmadinejad’s comments that Israel must be destroyed; he said Ahmadinejad’s comments were similar to what Pres. Bush has said on Iran and Iraq.

Kucinich and Rep. Waxman asked the SEC to slow down the offering of Blackstone LP.

Kucinich touted that he and Michael Moore were on the same page regarding health care. He issued a separate release of Moore endorsing his health care plan.

Kucinich issued a release criticizing the laxing of labor laws in New Orleans following Katrina.

Hillary Clinton

Clinton received endorsements this week in New York, New Jersey, California, Arkansas, Washington, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Michigan.

Clinton called for the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Clinton held a tree planting ceremony to symbolize the need for alternative energy in western New York.

Clinton called on the Bush administration to provide answers as to the air quality after 9/11.

Clinton called on the Dept. of Homeland Security to make the northern border more secure.

Clinton wrote her NY constituents a letter regarding her position on the Iraq war.

Clinton was pleased at th reforms of student loans passed by the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

Clinton is among the co-sponsors of a bipartisian health IT bill.

Joe Biden

Biden also urged passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Biden announced support in New Hampshire, and the National Coordinator of Veterans for Biden.

Biden issued a scathing response to an anonymous attack by the Obama camp on his appearance at the funeral of the SC firefighters.

Biden introduced a bill that would address the Iraqi Refugee crisis.

Biden called for a new foreign policy strategy for dealing with Russia.

Biden issued a press release regarding National Clean Beaches Week.

John Edwards

Edwards issued a statement on Gen. Petraeus’s comments on Iraq.

Edwards urged passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Edwards commented on the death of the South Carolina firefighters.

Edwards issued a statement reagarding the report of the Army Corps of Engineers report on New Orleans.

As part of his renewed campaign to ‘build one America’, Edwards promised to take on abusive lenders and to reduce debt.

Duncan Hunter

Like Barack Obama, Hunter also released a list of the earmarks he proposed in the current Appropriations bill, and deserves credit for that.

Hunter criticized the cross-border trucking program with Mexico.

Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson has a blog on his official site where commentaries he gives elsewhere are often cross posted.

Jim Gilmore

Gilmore wrote a letter to President Bush suggesting a middle ground between the status quo and withdrawal on Iraq.

Mike Huckabee

Huckabee received an endorsement from the Home School Legal Defense Association.

Mitt Romney

Romney announced endorsements in Massachusetts, Nevada, Iowa, and Montana.

Romney unveiled his ‘Global Initiative For Values And Freedom’ which focuses on broad strategies to combat the jihadist threat.

Romney launched a new TV ad.

Newt Gingrich

Gingrich cited 9/11 Commission report in touting he was right in that several 9/11 hijackers were in the US illegally.

Ron Paul

Paul had a column up this week about the inevitable failure of earmarks i the appropriations bill that waste billions of dollars.

Paul issued a press release regarding his support for a wall and opposition to amnesty or any benefits for illegal immigrants.

The Paul campaign is upset regarding Paul’s exclusion from a candidate forum in Iowa sponsored by the Iowans for Tax Relief and Iowa Christian Alliance.

Rudy Giuliani

Giuliani issued a press release regarding the air quality at Ground Zero, quoting numerous sources indicating the air was safe.

Giuliani’s campaign issued a statement touting their position in the race; we discussed this a bit during this week’s podcast.

Giuliani is in favor of making all earmark requests public. This is what Hunter and Obama have done already. He issued a second release on the topic earlier in the week, and a statement by Steve Forbes to the same effect.

Giuliani announced endorsements in Florida, New York, and a replacement of his campaign chairman in South Carolina, who is taking over for Mark Ravenal, about whom the campaign denied knowing any information..

Giuliani announced his economic policy board.

Giuliani issued a statement on Bush’s nomination of Jim Nussle as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Sam Brownback

Brownback commemorated World Refugee Day.

Brownback opened his office in Ames at the conclusion of his bus tour, which he called a big success.

Tom Tancredo

Tancredo touted an amendment the House passed that would enhace ties between Taiwan and America.

Tancredo’s campaign distributed a pledge against amnesty to members of Congress and urged them to sign it.

Mike Bloomberg

Text of the speech of Mike Bloomberg at the “Ceasefire! Bridging The Political Divide” conference.

This is the press release Bloomberg issued after changing his political affiliation to independent.

Technical note: all language I use to describe a release is what the candidate uses or what I judge to be the most accurate way of describing the candidate’s position; if a candidate calls global warming the ‘climate crisis’ I will use that; if they call it ‘alleged global warming’ I will do the same.

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2008Central.net’s Presidential Election Podcast (06/24/07)

This week’s podcast covers…

• Mike Bloomberg departing the GOP
• Fred Thompson to announce soon?
• John McCain and Mitt Romney’s political scuffle
• Hillary Clinton booed at the Take Back America Conference: What’s it mean?
• 2008Central.net’s John Whitehouse attended the “Generation Barack Obama” event in New York City on June 22, 2007. What were his impressions?
• Despite a rough couple of weeks, Rudy Giuliani remains the leader of the pack
• Notes on the second tier
• A look ahead to the close of the second fundraising quarter of 2007 and the significance of primary date movement in Floria and New Jersey
• And more…

Feel free to email us questions/suggestions for next week’s podcast (you can also email an audio file of your question and we’ll include it in the podcast).

Subscribe to 2008Central.net’s Presidential Election Podcast

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NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Leaves Republican Party

In what I can only describe as a move long overdue, Mike Bloomberg announced he has left the Republican Party.

Bloomberg’s policies as mayor and his national priorities now are not really in line with either party. His party affiliation was a relic of running for mayor initially years ago in 2001. Multiple recent appearances with Democrats, such as Al Gore, Harold Ford Jr., and Bill Clinton - not to mention his appearance today at a forum with other Democrats including Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona.

The big question has to be is Time co-cover boy Arnold Schwarzenegger next?

Obviously, this removes a lot of baggage, leaving a presidential run open should factors prove favorable.

[Update] Bloomberg released a statement regarding the move:

“I have filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections to change my status as a voter and register as unaffiliated with any political party. Although my plans for the future haven’t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our City.

“A nonpartisan approach has worked wonders in New York: we’ve balanced budgets, grown our economy, improved public health, reformed the school system and made the nation’s safest city even safer.

“We have achieved real progress by overcoming the partisanship that too often puts narrow interests above the common good. As a political independent, I will continue to work with those in all political parties to find common ground, to put partisanship aside and to achieve real solutions to the challenges we face.

“Any successful elected executive knows that real results are more important than partisan battles and that good ideas should take precedence over rigid adherence to any particular political ideology. Working together, there’s no limit to what we can do.”

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Mike Bloomberg: Sounding More And More Like A Presidential Candidate

After appearing at Google’s headquarters yesterday, Mike Bloomberg spoke with reporters yesterday about the political climate, the problems with the 2008 election so far and the shortcomings of the media’s coverage of the election:

On the state of the country…

“The country is in trouble.”

On the candidate’s performance during the debate…

“They have absolutely nothing to do with the job and the qualifications. And they don’t tell you anything about whether or not any of those candidates would be good or bad presidents. What they really say is, did they memorize their notes of ‘What to say if …’ and whether their staff was able to anticipate. If you look at both debates, they pandered, what I would argue, the same ways.”

On the press’ coverage of the election…

“I think that none of them [the candidates] are addressing those issues…The press really is not doing its job of holding their feet to the fire. … The tough questions are not what are you in favor of, but how are you going to get it through Congress?”

Indeed, Bloomberg is sounding more and more like a presidential candidate, an independent presidential candidate. First, he’s criticizing all candidate’s by nothing that neither of them are really demonstrating their capability to become president and making the slight argument that both parties are a lot more similiar than one would superficially think. Secondly, he’s taking the pragmatic stance, which is exactly the position that he would need to take if he were to wage a serious third party run. Lastly, he’s, wisely, tapping into some growing frustrations with the mainstream press (this could come in handy downt he road with netroots support). Now, in all fairness to Mike Bloomberg, he’s not repositioning himself; he actually believes the things that he’s saying about the 2008 election and isn’t just saying it solely for political gain (although, political gain is certainly part of the equation).

It would certainly be interesting if he ran. Aside from what it would do for the election itself, it would be enjoyable to listen to some of his responses to reporters, like this one from yesterday’s chat with reporters after the Google presentation:

After being asked about the potential litigation consequences gunmakers could face if gun trace data is released (something Bloomberg is currently in favor of)…

“Let me just get this straight. You’re worried about lawsuits and I’m worried about going to funerals? That’s the story. Which would you rather have? There’s no flurry of lawsuits. If people obeyed the law, there wouldn’t be any reason to sue. That’s a ridiculous argument to make.”

Related On 2008Central.net…

• Mike Bloomberg Making Circumstantial Trip to New Hampshire, Political Trip to California (6/16/07)
• Mike Bloomberg Prepared To Spend $1 Billion To Become President (5/15/07)

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Mike Bloomberg Making Circumstantial Trip to New Hampshire, Political Trip to California

Mike Bloomberg appeared on his radio show this week, and discussed his trips this weekend to New Hampshire and California:

Via CNN Political Ticker:

Appearing on his weekly New York radio show, Bloomberg again dismissed interest in seeking the presidency. He told WABC host John Gambling, “People will read into the fact I’m going to New Hampshire tomorrow.”

The surprised host said, “You’re going to New Hampshire? They have a primary, you know.”

Bloomberg smiled and said, “That may be, but the truth of the matter is I’m going to be in New Hampshire just for dinner. It’s my girlfriend’s college reunion.”

While Bloomberg in New Hampshire seems intriguing, it’s really not. First, there’s no chance of him getting involved in a primary election, so there’s nothing -that- special about New Hampshire for him.

Secondly, what he says is true. His girlfriend, Diana Taylor, graduated from Darthmouth College in 1977; that class is holding its reunion this weekend.

His trip to California is different in nature, though:

He then said he would also travel to San Francisco and Los Angeles, in part for appearances with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In addition, Bloomberg said he would appear at Google. He noted that Google has a presidential candidate series, but pointed out that his appearance is “not part of that.”

“I know it sounds like a coincidence”, he acknowledged, “but it is just a coincidence. You won’t believe this, but sometimes when conspiracy theorists talk, they’re wrong.”

Well, details of the appearance at Google are not exactly ‘coincidental.’ He’s appearing in a question and answer session similar to the ones John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain have participated in. From the AP article:

Mayor Bloomberg still isn’t running for president, but he will go before Google employees next week in California for a question-and-answer session like four presidential candidates have done.

The Web search engine company has invited all the major candidates to appear before employees at their Mountain View headquarters. …

Bloomberg was not invited as part of the company’s presidential campaign series, according to spokesmen for Google and the mayor.

“We invite lots of people to speak on campus - authors, scientists, political figures - from around the country and the world,” Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich said. “We reached out to him and invited him to speak because we’re interested in what he has to say.”

Bloomberg will address employees in the cafeteria on the company’s campus. Google workers from around the country also will be able to watch via an internal Webcast and can e-mail questions, Kovacevich said.

The point is not that Bloomberg is running for President; the point is that he might run for President as an independent, and this is certainly laying the groundwork for the possibility (To be fair, if he does not run, this will only help him gain capital to do the sorts of things he wants to do as a philanthropist.)

In addition to his meeting at Google, Bloomberg is also attending the “Bridging the Political Divide” Conference with a who’s who list of names of moderate politicians: LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; DLC Chairman and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr.; former advisor to George W. Bush Matthew Dowd; Gov. of California Arnold Schwarzenegger (introduced by his predecessor, Gray Davis); Gov. of Arizona Janet Napolitano; and Kevin Wall, co-founder with Al Gore of the Live Earth concerts.

Does Bloomberg really expect to meet (and give to addresses to) that sort of group and not have it be interpreted as a political move?

If Democrats and Republicans nominate more extreme candidates (our guess has always been someone as liberal or more liberal than John Edwards or someone as conservative or more conservative than Mitt Romney), it is politicians like this that could very well form the political backbone of a Bloomberg presidential run.

Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger are also the cover story of the current issue of Time.

While everyone following the election knows that Bloomberg has money to spend in a prospective candidacy, not everyone knows exactly what Bloomberg has done as mayor. From the Time article:

Bloomberg inherited a tough situation. The city was hemorrhaging jobs after the Sept. 11 attacks, and Giuliani’s second-term spending spree had left the city in a financial hole. Bloomberg raised property taxes 18% to attack the deficit, and he made some modest but politically difficult spending cuts, including the closing of several firehouses. He also engineered a hostile takeover of the city’s troubled schools and banned smoking in the city’s restaurants and bars. His approval ratings sagged into the 20s; his constituents booed him at parades. “They’ll come around,” he told aides.

They have, because the city has. Bloomberg hasn’t etched his personality into the city’s soul, but major crime has dropped 30% in New York in the Bloomberg era, without the racial antagonisms of the Giuliani era. Test scores and graduation rates are up, unemployment is at a record low, welfare rolls are at a 40-year low, construction is booming, the deficit has become a surplus, and the city’s bond rating just hit an all-time high of double-A.

As a candidate with no political base, no political history and no political debts, Bloomberg came into office beholden to no one. Even when they don’t agree with his decisions, New Yorkers seem to sense that he’s set aside his conglomerate and his four vacation homes for public-minded reasons; his approval rating has hovered around 70% for nearly two years. His administration has made mistakes — an ill-fated stadium plan, a school-bus snafu — but it’s been scandal-free, and every major media outlet endorsed his re-election. Bloomberg likes to think big: as a businessman, he aimed to make financial markets transparent; as a philanthropist, he’s funding research designed to eliminate malaria by building a better mosquito. “I was hired to solve problems,” told Time. “Yes, I’ll fix potholes, but that’s not why I wanted this job.”

The narrative about illegal guns in New York gives a great sense of Bloomberg’s politics:

In 2005, after a rash of shootings, Bloomberg’s aides told him that 90% of the illegal guns used in local crimes came from out of state and that 1% of U.S. gun dealers supplied 60% of its crime guns. And the Bush Administration had stopped tracking the problem; in fact, the G.O.P. Congress had enacted N.R.A.-backed language restricting federal officials from sharing gun-trace information with local police. Bloomberg appealed to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales but got the brush-off. So the mayor hired investigators to run stings in gun shops nationwide and sued 27 of the shadiest dealers; a dozen are now under court supervision. He also started Mayors Against Illegal Guns to fight the information-sharing restrictions; the group has recruited more than 220 mayors in a year, but Congress has not reversed the policy. “Ultimately, you have to blame the public,” Bloomberg says. “They’re not holding Washington accountable.”

A politician taking on illegal guns and the NRA, and blaming the public for failure? No national politician would dream of something like this, as it would simply alienate supprters they would need to win an election.

The article concludes with Warren Buffet wistfully thinking of a Bloomberg candidacy:

That love of action is the real link between Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg, and the real source of the recent Bloomberg-for-President buzz. There’s no obvious niche for a candidate who supports gay marriage and gun control while opposing the death penalty and deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq. But there is an obvious appeal to a businessman who can work across party lines to get things done — and could drop $500 million on a campaign without even noticing it was gone. Buffett thinks it’s a great idea, and when he first heard it, he turned to the Constitution. “I wanted to see if Schwarzenegger could be his Vice President,” Buffett said. “I think he could.” It states that the President must be native born, but it’s silent on the Vice President. “That would be one hell of a team, wouldn’t it?”

Don’t expect any announcement anytime soon; Bloomberg ill not run unless he thinks he can win, and he will not do it without first knowing who he would be up against. In the end, the most telling quote might come from Bloomberg himself, on the radio this week. When asked about a potential presidential run, he said: “I don’t think the country’s quite ready for me.”

Not exactly the words of someone completely uninterested in the possibility; more the words of someone waiting for the opportune moment, should it come.

[Photo credit: Time Magazine]

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