Bloomberg on McCain’s ‘Short List’ for Running Mate

HK4U · #1 06-01-2008, 03:03 PM

:grr:Like a lot of you I am not crazy about McCane. If he were to choose this New York Hitler for running mate I will definitely vote third party. That would show for sure his true color's. And another thing if Bloomberg is a possible choice for Obama also that just further shows that there really is not a dimes worth of difference between the two parties any more.

. Bloomberg on McCain’s ‘Short List’ for Running Mate

With speculation swirling about presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s choice for running mate, a surprising name has popped into the discussion — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

When McCain had breakfast with Bloomberg recently in Manhattan, a McCain spokesman told the New York Post that “discussing a vice-presidential slot for Bloomberg was not on the agenda.”

But a source close to the mayor told John Heilemann of New York magazine that the topic was definitely part of the conversation.

“One of the participants, in fact, came away from the conversation under the distinct impression that Bloomberg is on McCain’s short list,” Heilemann wrote.

The Democrat turned Republican turned Independent could aid the McCain campaign in a number of ways come November, according to Heilemann:

For one thing, billionaire Bloomberg’s entrepreneurial background could serve to counter McCain’s admitted shortcomings regarding economics.

Republicans are “losing on the economy by 10 to 15 points,” said Doug Schoen, Bloomberg’s pollster during his mayoral campaigns. “With Mike on the ticket, that gap would quickly, dramatically close.”
As a Jew, Bloomberg could strengthen McCain in several critical swing states with sizeable Jewish populations, including Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Bloomberg would enhance McCain’s image as a moderate, and help distance him from the policies of an unpopular president as Democrats seek to portray the Senator as a George Bush clone, Schoen maintains.
“The Republican brand is dead, at least for this election,” Schoen said. “McCain needs to go outside the box, and that’s where Mike lives.”

Perhaps most importantly, Bloomberg could provide McCain with a huge financial boost if he were willing to spend part of his fortune on the campaign.
“Mike Bloomberg spent $83 million in a re-election simply in New York City,” New York Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey told an interviewer. If he were the V.P. candidate, the figure would be “between zero and a billion [dollars].”

But there is one eventuality that could torpedo any McCain effort to land Bloomberg as his running mate — an overture to the mayor to run as the vice presidential candidate along with the likely Democratic candidate, Barack Obama.

According to Heilemann, Obama also had breakfast recently with Bloomberg, and even showed him an important economic speech before he delivered it.

A member of Bloomberg’s inner circle said that Bloomberg and Obama reps held a meeting in April, Heilemann reported, “to discuss the former’s suitability to being the latter’s No. 2.”

Editor's Note:

kwo51 · #2 06-01-2008, 03:37 PM

That would wpould send me to the third also. NO BLOOMBERG

NDS · #3 06-01-2008, 05:40 PM

For those who've been claiming that McCain would be our savior (last hope, only way to stop the Dems, etc.) I'd laugh at this if it didn't negatively affect me too.

Are you finally ready to realize the bankruptcy of the R-D 2 so-called party system?

Are you finally ready to vote for a candidate based on position and not party affiliation?

I thought not...

toreskha · #4 06-01-2008, 07:15 PM

I just heard a rumor that McCain is considering Obama as his running mate! OMG! OMG! What'll we do?

Relax...it's just as credible as this thing about Bloomberg.

:rolleyesb:

McCain isn't a dummy...he has polls that show him slipping with the GOP base for reasons that have yet to be explained. He's not going to try and pick someone who can assault Obama's base; he'd be better in motivating his own. He's probably just hitting Bloomberg up for some cash, which he has a great deal of.

HK4U · #5 06-01-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toreskha

I just heard a rumor that McCain is considering Obama as his running mate! OMG! OMG! What'll we do?

Relax...it's just as credible as this thing about Bloomberg.

:rolleyesb:

McCain isn't a dummy...he has polls that show him slipping with the GOP base for reasons that have yet to be explained. He's not going to try and pick someone who can assault Obama's base; he'd be better in motivating his own. He's probably just hitting Bloomberg up for some cash, which he has a great deal of.

We will have to wait and see but if he does there is no doubt what I will do.

toreskha · #6 06-01-2008, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HK4U

We will have to wait and see but if he does there is no doubt what I will do.

I don't like Bloomberg either...but I do have to give him credit for pretty much not adhering to any particular camp. He has so much money that he's not really beholden to anyone and can pretty much say or do what he wants.

The danger though is that as VP, he could self-finance a presidential win. He could easily make a good running mate for Obama, and if Bloomberg were in it to win it, the GOP would have to raise a truly gargantuan amount of cash. It would make all previous presidential campaigns look like hokey, low-budget races.