Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on the campaign trail at Google's campus yesterday to talk to employees about what is wrong with the United States. Apparently he was invited to speak in an authors series, using the book he wrote ten years ago as cover to be in the Silicon Valley area. He told reporters he is not planning on running, yet he won't rule it out, calling a definitive answer on the subject too "Shermanesque."
From The New York Times:
In his remarks, he sounded much like a candidate for national office. He returned to a pet theme, criticizing the federal government for its immigration policies and what he sees as insufficient attention to rising costs of Social Security and health care.
Mr. Bloomberg also took a swipe at the presidential candidates of both parties, saying they were not offering serious ideas about improving public education or lowering street crime.
Arguing that people have a much greater chance of being killed by street crime than by a terror attack, he said: “Yet every press conference, they all beat their chests and say, ‘I can protect this country better from terrorism.’ Well, what about protecting them out in the streets every day?”
This type of talk does not correlate to his idea that he will stay put as mayor through 2009. It sounds a lot more like an independent candidacy for 2008. Even though there is an "R" next to his name, there would be no chance in hell he would ever win the Republican nomination. His only shot would have to include switching that "R" to an "I." Many independents and even some Democrats love to hear this.
However, in these times of partisan conflict, it would be hard for Bloomberg to make a good showing in a Presidential race. Much like in 1992 and 1996, even billionaires like Ross Perot did not have enough steam to make more than a dent in either the Democrat or Republican's numbers. Regardless, he says he isn't running, so we'll just have to wait and see.
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