tugmoose Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Once everyone realizes what a bunch of duds are running now . . . NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Leaves GOP By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished: June 19, 2007Filed at 7:04 p.m. ET NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday switched his party status from Republican to unaffiliated, a stunning move certain to be seen as a prelude to an independent presidential bid that would upend the 2008 race. The billionaire former CEO, who was a lifelong Democrat before he switched to the GOP for his first mayoral run, said the change in voter registration does not mean he is running for president. ''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,'' he said. Despite his repeated claims, the mayor's decision to switch his party affiliation stokes the speculation that he will pursue the White House, challenging the Democratic and Republican nominees with a legitimate and well-financed third-party bid. Bloomberg has an estimated worth of more than $5 billion and easily could underwrite a White House run, much like businessman Ross H. Perot in 1992. The 65-year-old mayor has fueled the buzz with increasing out-of-state travel, a greater focus on national issues and repeated criticism of the partisan politics that dominate Washington. ''The politics of partisanship and the resulting inaction and excuses have paralyzed decision-making, primarily at the federal level, and the big issues of the day are not being addressed, leaving our future in jeopardy,'' he said in a speech Monday at the start of a University of Southern California conference about the advantages of nonpartisan governing. A Bloomberg entry would roil the already volatile and wide-open race to succeed President Bush. ''If he runs, this guarantees a Republican will be the next president of the United States. The Democrats have to be shaking in their boots,'' said Greg Strimple, a Republican strategist in New York who is unaligned in the race. The belief among some operatives is that Bloomberg's moderate positions would siphon votes from the Democratic nominee. Others say it's not that cut and dry; they say whom he would draw from depends on the nominees. Should Bloomberg enter the race, the number of New Yorkers who are serious contenders would rise to three. New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is the Democratic front-runner and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads the GOP field in national polls. Throughout his 5 1/2 years as mayor, Bloomberg has often been at odds with his party and President Bush. He supports gay marriage, abortion rights, gun control and stem cell research, and raised property taxes to help solve a fiscal crisis after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But he never seemed willing to part with the GOP completely, raising money for the 2004 presidential convention and contributing to Bush and other Republican candidates. Just last year, he told a group of Manhattan Republicans about his run for mayor: ''I couldn't be prouder to run on the Republican ticket and be a Republican.'' In 1992, Perot captured 19 percent of the popular vote as Bill Clinton seized the presidency from incumbent George H.W. Bush. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Basil II Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 I hope that he just stays away...... -robert. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 These New York mayors seem to absorb an inflated sense of their national cache. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I like Bloomberg a hell of a lot more than I like Giuliani. Bloomberg is a pragmatist, not an idealist, which you really need to be to make New York City operate. Giuliani was a crappy mayor who turned the city into a minor police state. As far as 9/11 goes, all he did was not lose his shit in a time of crisis, which seems to me to be a baseline requirement of an elected official in his position. He almost got himself killed that day, because he located the city's emergency center right next to the one place in the city THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN ATTACKED BY TERRORISTS. What a dumbass. And a mean dumbass too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yermom Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 As far as 9/11 goes, all he did was not lose his shit in a time of crisis, which seems to me to be a baseline requirement of an elected official in his position.Well said. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 "Neither party has God on its side, a monopoly on good ideas, or a lock on any single fiscal, social or moral philosophy. And anyone who says their party does, and the other party doesn't, is either a fraud or just not a good student of history.'' -- Michael Bloomberg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Bloomberg. The Ralph Nader of '08. Wonderful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Bloomberg. The Ralph Nader of '08. Wonderful....except I think he might take as many votes from the Republican nominee as he does from the Democrat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anodyne Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 now if al gore entered the race, he'd be inaugurated after getting elected. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 ...except I think he might take as many votes from the Republican nominee as he does from the Democrat. I don't buy it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 The supposedly enticing part about Bloomberg is that he presumably would not be taking campaign contributions and would not be "owned" by anybody. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 The supposedly enticing part about Bloomberg is that he presumably would not be taking campaign contributions and would not be "owned" by anybody. Right. So enticing that he will garner 15-20% of the vote and take the majority of his votes from moderate democrats thereby ensuring a Republican in the white house for the next 4 years. I am going to bed. Someone please wake me up in January 2009. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I don't buy it.It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I'm not sure Bloomberg has enough recognition outside the northeast--he may not have the star power to carry a cult following like Nader, or even the bizarre charisma of a Perot. Still, he could conceivably pull some votes from both sides. For Dems, if they are hoping to cash in on a GOP backlash, I'm not sure how many of those votes will be swayed away by a guy who self-identified as a Republican until 5 minutes ago. For the Republican base, Bloomberg looks like Rudy (fairly liberal social views) but without that oh-so-appealing authoritarian streak. He might lure some moderates from both parties, but the bases are so polarized anymore that I'm not sure where the middle ground is. Should be interesting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Right. So enticing that he will garner 15-20% of the vote and take the majority of his votes from moderate democrats thereby ensuring a Republican in the white house for the next 4 years. I am going to bed. Someone please wake me up in January 2009. Maybe, but I'm not a believer in "spoiler" candidates. This country is way too engrossed in the 2-party democrat/republican lies. If I don't vote for you its because you didn't deserve my vote. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 a guy who self-identified as a Republican until 5 minutes ago Not entirely true. Bloomberg is a lifelong democrat who became a Republican 20 minutes before running for Mayor in NYC. And everyone voting in that election knew they were electing a moderate democrat who called himself a republican for political expediency. The mayoral race was set and there was an opening for a Republican. This is exactly what he is doing now. Maybe, but I'm not a believer in "spoiler" candidates. This country is way too engrossed in the 2-party democrat/republican lies. If I don't vote for you its because you didn't deserve my vote. I used to agree with you. And I didnt vote for Nader in '00, but I very vocally defended friends who did. On the very same theory that you use above. Seven years into Bush-Cheney, I have changed my tune. I guess I should wait to see what Bloomberg is really doing here. I have a hard time seeing him campaigning and kissing babies in South Carolina or Ohio. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tugmoose Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 What a viable third-party candidate does is at least forces the other two candidates to move beyond their standard "Vote for me or the other guy will win" platforms. There's too much at stake for this to be another business-as-usual election, which is how it seems to be shaping up. And for everyone whining about Nader in '00, don't forget Perot helped get Clinton elected in '92. The blade cuts both ways. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boywiththorninside Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 These New York mayors seem to absorb an inflated sense of their national cache. Even Ed Koch has an exploratory committee. Nothing screams broad, national appeal like an old, gay, Jewish man who has publicy supported President Bush. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 And for everyone whining about Nader in '00, don't forget Perot helped get Clinton elected in '92. The blade cuts both ways.So true. The bottom line in '08 is that (at least at this point) this election is as wide-open as any in our lifetime. Anything could happen, and probably will. Bloomberg is still saying he will not run (as of yesterday). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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