An Independent presidential ticket is shaping up with Mike Bloomberg, New York’s Mayor, and Sen. Chuck Hagel as his running mate. Increasingly, there are clues about the intentions of both.
Bloomberg was in Washington this week to make a speech about the new Census poverty figures, but he found time to advise reporters on how to cover the 2008 presidential campaigns, while listing issues--Iraq, Social Security and immigration--that candidates should address. Then he posed with supporters holding signs reading: “Bloomberg ’08: DraftMichael.com.”
A while back, Bloomberg had dinner with Sen. Chuck Hagel, the Vietnam veteran who has been opposing the war in Iraq for some time now and has been toying with an Independent run for President himself.
Now we have word that Hagel is unlikely to run for re-election to the Senate, opening the way for former Sen. and Gov. Bob Kerrey to go for the Nebraska seat. Kerrey, a Democrat and good friend who has said he will run only if Hagel doesn’t, is now preparing to go for it.
A Bloomberg-Hagel ticket would have the Mayor’s billions and his executive experience to pair up with the Senator’s idealism and legislative know-how in the Washington maze.
They wouldn’t get much of the NASCAR vote, but this newest odd couple certainly would make the race interesting for the two New Yorkers who are likely to get the Republican and Democratic nominations
Interesting but ... didn't Blommberg count himself out in comments to the press several weeks ago?
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