Feb 04 2008
Bloomberg not running, but not hiding
Mayor Michael Bloomberg Thursday put some oomph behind his daily denial of his presidential aspirations. His response to a reporter’s question during an appearance at Google’s New York headquarters in Chelsea signaled an end to the speculation:
“I’ve said repeatedly I’m not a candidate…and I’ll stay that way.”
These new, seemingly definitive, comments come after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (formerly one of Bloomberg’s biggest allies) announced earlier last week that the Governator plans to endorse Sen. John McCain in the GOP primary Tuesday. That blow, coupled with the permanence of the word “stay,” had followers of this one-man presidential debate thinking Bloomberg finally made up his mind not to run.
But, alas, a new wrinkle was added to the confusion on Friday when Bloomberg called the presidential race “wide open” on his weekly WABC-770 radio show. The comment came after host John Gambling if the primary results would give him “an opportunity to re-evaluate your personal situation.” Of course, the comment could have meant nothing, but with Democrat-turned Republican-turned Independent-turned ellipses-Mayor Bloomberg you have to assume he meant something by it.
Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, says the mayor means to send mixed messages and just “wants to have a little fun.” Oh, you billionaire playboys and your fun. Who doesn’t “toy” with the idea of running a free nation every once and a while?
So, will he or won’t he? The answer is… question mark. It looks like Bloomberg is happy dragging out the drama for as long as possible. The suspense is more palpable than the back-and-forth romance between Ross and Rachel on TV’s ”Friends.” Stay tuned.