Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Bloomberg Alert

In the latest development in the Bataan death march that has become the 2008 presidential race, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just switched his party registration from Republican to Independent. This is a move that's necessary for him to start gathering signatures for a presidential run as an independent, and it's being widely assumed that that's just what he's doing.

I'm not sure what to make of this. As a resident of the greater New York City metropolitan area, I personally like Bloomberg for a number of reasons -- mainly for his success in not being Rudy Guiliani -- and think he'd restore a level of competence to government after eight years of President Shortbus Clusterfuck. As a Democrat, I'm intrigued at what a former-Democrat-former-Republican-now-independent would do to the race. (Preliminary polling suggests it might help the Dems.)

But mainly, as someone who reads and watches our elite media pundits, I'm reserving my judgment until I learn more about how he smells.

6 comments:

Mr Furious said...

I don't like it. We are well-positioned right now, and I don't like anything that tosses things up.

I left NYC right before 9/11, so I don't really have any first-hand Bloomberg experience. I don't like the fact that he helped Bush out, and I hated his Yankee Stadium on the East Side bullshit, but other than that, I don't know much about him.

If there's a third party candidate, I'd much prefer somebody coming from the right, not the center.

Otto Man said...

I'm not crazy about it either, but I think his flirting with the idea of a run will be helpful in knocking down Guiliani. You put the two side by side, and it's clear one's a spotlight-hungry nutjob and the other is a competent professional.

Mr Furious said...

The more I think about it the more I don't like it. And (surprise) the more it pisses me off.

As I said at Mike's place, I'd've had a LOT more respect if Bloomberg left the GOP before the '04 or '06 elections as he was rumored to have been considering. At those times, he might have actually served the country and his city well.

Now he is doing what helps him, and positioning himself to fuck the country and the world for the sake of his own ego.

Fuck you, Mr. Mayor.

Mr Furious said...

Look, that's not to say I wouldn't prefer President Blooomberg to President McCain, Romney or Guiliani—of course I woould—but that's not really on the table. What is far more likely is one of those fucking assholes ascending to the White House with 38 percent of the vote.

Anonymous said...

I'm put off by the fact Bloomberg seems to have no political moorings, no ethical reservations and no strong personal ties with good, responsible people in either party. It's all about him, his billions and his boundless ambition.

Bloomberg is an able administrator. But then, Il Duce made the trains run on time.

Mike said...

Otto, I saw just reference to some big news of yourn's over at KSK. Congrats.

Does this mean you'll be posting as often as Thrill come fall?