Is New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Preparing to Run for President?

Is billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the current mayor of New York City, prepping for a run at the presidency? For many political observers, the answer to that question is no long "if" he will announce his run, but "when."

While insisting he has no plans to make a run at the presidency, Bloomberg - who many people feel would run as an independent candidate - has, in recent days, dropped many hints that he is seriously considering the possibility. A trip to Texas and Okalahoma last week, two states with strict ballot access, is seen as one indicator. Another is the fact that Bloomberg's website - seen as instrumental in his run for mayor - was recently relaunched.

Bloomberg, a longtime Republican, is viewed as likely - should he run - to enter the race as an Independent, especially if the Republican front-runner, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, is still leading in the polls. In spite of the lack of money compared to running as a Republican or Democrat, the estimated $500 million to $1 billion of his own money Bloomberg could be willing to spend would make certain that Bloomberg - like Ross Perot before him - is well known, and quickly.

Recent polling from the New York Daily News even shows Bloomberg ahead of Giuliani in every demographic, except for the under-30 category. In that poll, more than half of New Yorkers feel Bloomberg was the better mayor for the city, and 46 percent (compared to 29 percent for Giuliani), feel Bloomberg would be a better president. But while it's said that all politics is local, that support may not cross the state line into, say, Connecticut or Pennsylvania.

"This is not going to translate to the rest of the country," says Blum, who was in charge of the Daily News poll. "Nationally, people think of Giuliani as the person who cleaned up New York City. They don't necessarily credit Bloomberg with much of anything. They just don't know him."

Still, in spite of his apparent hesitancy in making any plans official, Bloomberg just might end up on top, or at least in a stronger position, if Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf is correct. "He's the luckiest guy of all," he said. "He can sit by, watch and make decisions on his own timetable. While the others are engaged in combat, all he does is get stronger every day."

Sources:

www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/05/14/2007-05-14_bloomy_tops_rudy_in_battle_of_the_titans-2.html
www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/05/14/2007-05-14_uh_mike_about_all_those_im_not_running_r.html