Bloomberg backs Schumer

[cal04]

Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg ditched his party's Senate candidate -- and his own earlier statements -- to endorse Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer on Friday.

Asked about the same race on Oct. 5, Bloomberg said: "I've always said that who I vote for is my business. I'll do it in the privacy of the voting booth." But Friday, Bloomberg said without prompting: "Chuck Schumer is up for re-election ... and I will vote for him."

Bloomberg made the about-face during his weekly radio interview on WABC (770-AM). Schumer, he said, "has worked very, very hard for the state and I think the voters in the state should re-elect him."

The timing shielded the mayor from facing potentially embarrassing questions about his conflicting statements. He made the latest remarks in the middle of a pre-taped show, free of outside callers, just before a pre-election weekend.Bloomberg's next news conference is expected to be Monday or later

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/newyork/politics/nyc-mike1030,0,1260466.story?coll=nyc-homepage-headlines

[MrMonk]

1. Was someone running against Schumer? eom

[cal04]

2. Yes

Moreover, polls show Schumer crushing Mills and Conservative candidate Marilyn O'Grady, who are already expected to split the anti-Schumer vote.

Bloomberg said Schumer "is running against a guy, Howard Mills, a Republican who is a -- I don't know very well, but people say nice things. But Schumer has worked as hard as anybody, and so does Hillary \, incidentally."

When asked a follow-up question about Bush and Schumer, Bloomberg said: "I'm going to vote for people who I think will do the most for New York City."

For months, however, Bloomberg has said without much detail that he's supporting Bush as the better candidate to fight terrorism.

State Republican insiders said Friday that they believed Bloomberg was bidding for Schumer's support, tacit or otherwise, in next year's mayoral race. Schumer, however, has let it be known in party circles he expects to endorse the Democrat still to be nominated.

[Roy]

7. Very smart move.....

endorse Schumer in a race not too far removed from the Illinois Senate race, in exchange (he hopes) for an endorsement for himself from a very strong and popular Dem in a mayoral race against a real Dem. Yep, too smart by half, too bad that Chuckie ain't biting.

[fujiyama]

8. Yeah this is very interesting

I think I remember hearing that Bloomberg changed parties just to run. He was a democrat earlier and contributed money to dems.

[davidinalameda]

3. maybe he's laying groundwork

to come back to the Democrats

or maybe he just wants to be seen as allied with a winner

or maybe he's just a dumbass

I vote for number 3

[Sinnerman]

4. Schumer No Contest

[DeadManInc]

5. Bloomberg

What a surprise, a republican flip-flopper.:headbang:

[goforit]

6. Well, that was pretty smart of ya Bloomy!!!

[are_we_united_yet]

9. Gee Mr Mayor...

that sacrificial lamb is going to feel betrayed. Way to put yourself out there on a limb.