Mayor Bloomberg as Veep?
July 9, 2008
He put rumors of a presidential run to rest in February, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg still can’t shake speculation he’ll be on the ballot.
The troubled economy has fast replaced the Iraq war as the No. 1 concern among voters ? a shift John McCain and Barack Obama are weighing as they choose running mates.
Bloomberg, a self-made billionaire and an independent who has been both a Democrat and a Republican, would be a likely choice as either candidate’s vice president, experts said.
“He has enormous credibility in the business community as a successful founder and CEO of a major media company,” said Kathryn Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City. “His take-the-pain-upfront philosophy is clearly something that’s needed right now in the country.”
Bloomberg was responsible for New York’s economic recovery after 9/11, she said. And when the city faced a multi-billion dollar deficit in 2003, he raised property taxes by 18 percent. Residents suffered “a year and a half of pain, but came out of it very successfully,” Wylde said.
The mayor’s fiscal prowess hasn’t gone unnoticed by pollsters.
Bloomberg’s name appeared in recent weeks in SurveyUSA’s hypothetical poll pairings with both McCain and Obama in various states.
“We thought he’d be a realistic choice,” said SurveyUSA CEO Jay Leve.
Bloomberg’s office, however, has quelled murmuring of a vice presidential quest.
“As the mayor has said repeatedly, he expects to serve out his full term as mayor,” spokesman Stu Loeser said via e-mail.
When he leaves office in December 2009, experts said Bloomberg might seek the governorship, a World Bank position or simply, a retirement to focus on philanthropy.
“He’s closing in on 70, so maybe he doesn’t want to do anything anymore,” said Dan Coen, founder of vicepresidents.com.
There are plenty of other viable business-minded vice presidential choices, especially for McCain, said Nachama Soloveichik, communications director for the conservative anti-tax Club for Growth. She cited Mitt Romney, a former presidential candidate and reputed entrepreneur, and Rob Portman, former director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Bloomberg has not officially endorsed either presumptive presidential nominee. His billions in net worth would give either the McCain or Obama campaign a much-welcome boost, but he won’t capture key voting blocs for either candidate, experts said.
“I don’t think he’s the right guy to give people zoom-zoom. He can’t really excite the public,” said Coen, who doesn’t rule out former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
“Giuliani is more likely to be chosen than Bloomberg,” Coen said. “He plays much better with middle America.”
Source: AMNY
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