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| 5/16 |
| 2007/6/19-22 [Politics/Domestic/California, Politics/Domestic/California/Arnold] UID:47012 Activity:kinda low |
6/19 Bloomberg leaves GOP, probably as prelude to third party presidential
run. This will split R vote, leading inevitably to PRESIDENT HILLARY
HAHAHAHAHA DOOOMMMMM!!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_el_pr/bloomberg_politics
\_ Bloomberg is a RINO, won't he take more D votes than R?
\_ being a RINO sounds great now. Who'd want to be a real
Republican?
\_ Fo real, anyone else want to announce they're leaving that
load of bull behind?
\_ Yah, this was only the formal announcement of something we already
knew. Arnold will hopefully be next.
\_ I'm sure it has nothing to do with the R party's current
connotation with corruption and spectacular incompetence.
\_ How will Arnold run for president? That whole Constitution
thing and all...
\_ The Governator is trying to change the Constitutuion on that.
\_ Demolition Man!
\_ When I said "Arnold will hopefully be next" I meant the next
to drop the pretense of being an R. -pp
\_ Bloomwho? No one is voting for Bloomberg and he already said
flat out he isn't running now or ever.
\_ Where did he say that?
\- Bloomberg -> Henri IV
\_ Talking to reporters about 2-3 days ago.
\_ Bloomberg is whatever he thinks he is. He's going to run
a-la Independent. You know how far that got Perot, and Anderson.
He's was not even remotely Republican to begin with.
\_ Then again, maybe not
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070620/pl_nm/bloomberg_dc |
| 5/16 |
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| news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070619/ap_on_el_pr/bloomberg_politics AP NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves GOP By SARA KUGLER, Associated Press Writer Tue Jun 19, 7:46 PM ET NEW YORK - 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. Click Here 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 in a statement. Despite his coyness about his aspirations, the mayor's decision to switch stokes speculation that he will pursue the White House, challenging the Democratic and Republican nominees with a legitimate and well-financed third-party bid. Bloomberg spent more than $155 million for his two mayoral campaigns, including $85 million when he won his second term in 2005. The 65-year-old mayor has fueled the presidential buzz with increasing out-of-state travel, including New Hampshire last weekend; 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. "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 clear and his impact would depend on the nominees. Former Democratic Party Chairman Donald Fowler said Bloomberg would be "a disturbing factor to both parties," but the mayor would probably draw more Republican votes simply because "Republicans are more disenchanted than Democrats." "Democrats are pretty happy with their candidates," Fowler said. He called Bloomberg "an exceptionally capable guy" who is "hard-nosed and accomplished," but argued that the obstacles for a third-party candidate are so daunting that it would be nearly impossible for Bloomberg to win. Most polls find Bloomberg drawing votes from Republicans. "He could have a significant impact on the campaign," said independent pollster Scott Rasmussen. "Nationally there's a significant segment of the electorate that would give serious consideration to Bloomberg as a candidate." Strategists say he could mount a third-party campaign by stressing that he is a two-term mayor in a Democratic city and that he built his reputation as a political independent, social moderate and fiscal conservative. Throughout his 5 1/2 years as mayor, Bloomberg has often been at odds with his party and 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. 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." On most occasions, Bloomberg has rolled his eyes at the suggestion that he might one day be a presidential contestant. But during a holiday party with City Hall staffers last December he performed a Bruce Springsteen rendition of "Born to Run." And he didn't debunk a report that he talked about an independent presidential bid with former Sen. Asked about a hypothetical independent candidate entering the race, Bloomberg launched a broad critique of the Bush administration and Congress and lamented the presidential debates to date. "Our reputation has been hurt very badly in the last few years," he said. "We've had a go-it-alone mentality in a world where, because of communications and transportation, you should be going exactly in the other direction." New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg talks with reporters at a conference in Los Angeles Tuesday, June 19, 2007. Later Tuesday, Bloomberg left the Republican Party and switched to unaffiliated, a 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 Republican Party in 2001 for his first mayoral run, said the change in his voter registration does not mean he is running for president. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. |
| news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070620/pl_nm/bloomberg_dc Reuters Bloomberg says he is not eyeing White House By Michelle Nichols Wed Jun 20, 4:15 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday he was not a candidate for US president in 2008 despite speculation he quit the Republican party to prepare to run as an independent. Click Here A day after announcing he was no longer a Republican, Bloomberg, 65, reiterated he intends to serve as mayor until the end of his term in 2009 and then pursue philanthropy. "I am not a candidate," the billionaire founder of financial data and media firm Bloomberg LP told reporters when asked about speculation he might run. "I have said that my intention is to be mayor for the next 925 days ... I've got the greatest job in the world and I'm going to keep doing it," he said. Bloomberg said on Tuesday he was leaving the Republican party to bring his affiliation into alignment with how he led the city. But with the November 2008 vote more than 16 months away, not all political pundits or New Yorkers believed him. "Clearly, Mayor Bloomberg is positioning himself to run as an independent, but this doesn't necessarily mean that he will run for president in 2008," said Hunter College politics Professor Kenneth Sherrill. "He is not likely to run if he does not think he has a good chance of winning." Amin Abubakar, a 25-year-old Bronx resident selling tickets for a tour bus in Times Square said, "I think he is going to run because of all the publicity that he has gained. Bloomberg was a Democrat who became a Republican to run for mayor in 2001 in a city where the Democratic nomination is viewed as harder to win. He was re-elected as a Republican in 2005 and is barred from seeking a third term in 2009. The mayor has governed on economic issues as a fiscal conservative but is more liberal on social issues such as gun control and gay marriage as well as the environment. NATIONAL ISSUES Bloomberg also tried to justify his travel -- visiting 20 US cities in the past 18 months, according to the New York Post -- and why he has been speaking out on national issues. "I feel very strongly I should be out there talking about those issues that influence New York City and that are dealt with at a national level," he said. "Guns on the streets for example, homeland security funds and how you allocate those and lobbying Congress and working with Congress, or congestion pricing, the solid waste management plan," he said, sounding ever the candidate. "I am particularly upset that the big issues of the time keep getting pushed to the back and we focus on small things that only inside the (Washington) Beltway are important." A Quinnipiac University poll, released on Wednesday, on a hypothetical all-New York presidential race showed Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton leading with 43 percent support, followed by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, at 29 percent and Bloomberg lagging at 16 percent. Political experts say that while Bloomberg has the money, name recognition and experience, political conditions would have to be just right for him to get elected president. Pressed to say if there was any way he might run for president, Bloomberg replied: "If everybody in the world was dead and I was the only one alive, yes, sure. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. |