New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a potential independent candidate for president, has scheduled a meeting next week with a dozen leading Democrats and Republicans, who will join him in challenging the major-party contenders to spell out their plans for forming a “government of national unity” to end the gridlock in Washington.
Those who will be at the Jan. 7 session at the University of Oklahoma say that if the likely nominees of the two parties do not pledge to “go beyond tokenism” in building an administration that seeks national consensus, they will be prepared to back Bloomberg or someone else in a third-party campaign for president.
Big names from both parties are endorsing. I like the idea. It’ll force the Democrats and Republicans to actually talk about issues rather than have the usual sorry, mud-slinging, poll-driven spectacle that passes for political campaigning in this country.
Bloomberg has said if he runs as an independent that he will spend one billion of his own money. That means he can outspend Republicans and Democrats put together. So their choice is simple. Discuss the issues or face their worst nightmare, a centrist candidate with enormously deep pockets.
At first blush, I like this idea of a major third-party movement. But when I think more about Bloomberg as the candidate, I am less enthusiastic.
The clincher is the statement that he will spend up to $1 billion of his own money.
Isn’t that our problem? Just another person buying their way into high office?
How exciting, but think of all the dead gentiles that will die in Iran.
Well, the major party candidates will spend $500 million each of other people’s money, presumably with strings attached. Not that Bloomberg wouldn’t have conflicts of his own.
I think he genuinely means it when he calls for an end to the gridlock.
We shall see. Something needs to shake this race up so it doesn’t degenerate into nine months of character assassination.