The Edwards campaign latest justification for remaining in the race is that John Edwards is the ONLY electable Democratic candidate (as opposed to a similar but very different argument that Edwards is more electable than the other candidates). The campaign started making this argument after Iowa and has expanded on it ever since. Recently, [...]

Discuss…

It seems obvious now, that from the beginning Unity08 was indeed a Mike Bloomberg stalking horse, funded and staffed by Bloomberg loyalists. They couldn’t pull off the Bloomberg run within the Unity08 structure, so they suddenly close up shop to make room for the imminent Bloomberg Independent candidacy, redirecting management and money resources to the impending campaign.

I think I’ve figured it out. Simply put he’s waiting to see who the nominees are. By that I mean that his candidacy wouldn’t have the same traction in an Obama vs McCain race as it would in a Clinton vs Romney or Giuliani race.
x-posted

Well, that’s the rumor at least…
From NY Daily News:
A source familiar with the Bloomberg for president movement says the bipartisan Unity08 effort is poised to shut down its Web site, reconstitute as a Draft Bloomberg site and launch its own 50-state signature-gathering operation on behalf of the supposedly reluctant would-be independent presidential candidate.
This move has [...]

One word: Obama.
From NY Times:
He arrived here for what seemed like it could be a big moment. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, eyeing a third-party presidential bid, joined Republican and Democratic elders at a forum to denounce the extreme partisanship of Washington and plot how to influence the campaign.
But even as the mayor gathered on Monday [...]

Because if all he’s saying is the following, that’s the reason Obama is pulling ahead in the first place.
From AP:
Amid talk about Washington riven by partisanship, Bloomberg gathered with Democrats and Republicans — some current elected officials, others out of office for years — to discuss bridging the divide between the parties. The summit came [...]

From NPR:
Some big names in politics — Republicans, Democrats and Independents — are getting together to talk about the possible need for a third-party candidate in the presidential election this year.
Former Sen. Sam Nunn and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are among the people attending the conference. Another is former Sen. David Boren, who [...]

This time he was asked by… wait for it… Ryan Seacrest of American Idol fame on… wait for it… Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Yes, it’s silly, but it means a Bloomberg independent run is starting to get into the national zeitgeist, and if he does want to run stuff like this is important. Seacrest [...]

The Dems don’t seem to be too hot on the likelihood of Bloomberg running this year. Especially NY Times economist Paul Krugman…
Seriously, why does anyone think this makes sense? I read a lot of polls, and they suggest that the center of public opinion on the issues is, if anything, left of the center [...]

Why? Because that’s when Texas opens up for 3rd party candidates to get on the ballot. So it makes sense that we should know by then if somebody is going to mount a viable 3rd party bid…those “somebodys” being Michael Bloomberg and/or Ron Paul.
I found the date in the NY Times:
Bloomberg aides have studied the [...]

First, why Ron Paul’s loss? Because if he doesn’t go 3rd party, somebody will. A perfect storm for a 3rd party candidate is on the radar and all signs point to it turning into a category 5. Especially if the nominees are Giuliani (or Romney) and Clinton.
So how could Bloomberg benefit?
Well, since Paul is [...]

And it could happen, but some Republicans might not be so easily persuaded.
First, the scenario…
Let me sketch one potential scenario: Huckabee wins the Iowa caucus (which is what would happen if the election were today). Romney is second. Rudy is third and Thompson fourth. Huckabee surges into New Hampshire and his communications skills help him [...]

He’s apparently getting a bunch of foreign policy wonks to bring him up to speed.
From Huffington Post:
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been receiving foreign policy briefing sessions on a wide variety of topics, providing the strongest indication yet that he is considering a run for the White House, the Huffington Post has learned.
The [...]

Why?
Well, they say it will siphon votes from Dems. And while I think they’re right…umm, what about all of the fiscal conservatives? Does the GOP really think they can hang onto those voters with this current crop of candidates?
From Washington Times:
Some Republican activists hope New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will make a third-party [...]

From Reuters:
Bloomberg says won’t run for president
By Daniel Trotta
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he cannot win the U.S. presidency and won’t run, the strongest statement to date about his intentions for the 2008 presidential race.
Bloomberg previously had said he had no plans to run, which failed to quiet speculation that [...]

Interesting new blog called WalkingThinkTank popped up recently and the author sent me a post about the similarities between the titular three.
Here are some excerpts:
In his latest book, Assault on Reason, former Vice President Gore wrote: “Faith in the power of reason—the belief that free citizens can govern themselves wisely and fairly by resorting to [...]

Specifically, one that has Bloomberg at the helm?
This author doesn’t seem to think so and he has a good point strictly from a “numbers” standpoint…
Unlike 1992 – when Bill Clinton emerged as a flawed winner in a second-rate field – Democrats today seem enthused about their choices. In all probability, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton [...]

I think Nunn is more of a “behind-the-scenes” type of guy, but this is an interesting story nonetheless.
AP has the story…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia said Friday he is frustrated with the direction of the presidential race and acknowledged talking with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others about an [...]