I talked to a NY Republican biz man the other day...

[displacedtexan]

... who told me that the state party was banking on a Bloomberg presidential run.

This was the first time I've ever heard this scenario. Has anyone else heard this?

BTW, the guy I talked to said NY Republicans hate Rudy.

Hm.

[calimary]

1. Rudy presents a delicious Faustian deal for the republi-CONS.

He DOES have an appeal in America's "heartland," being "America's Mayor" and all. But he's also fairly liberal (as republi-CON "liberals" go) on social issues like a woman's right to choose. AND he has a whoppingly juicy private life, what with all that stuff with his then-mistress (now current wife) whom he wanted so badly to move into the bed his wife still occupied while she was still his wife. He wanted to move his backdoor girl into the big mansion - where his then-wife and kid were still in residence. So it is possible he will have, by default, taken himself out of the running. I can't see the republ-CON al Qaeda (after all, al Qaeda DOES mean "the base," does it not?) going for a standard-bearer who's pro-choice and had his very own Monica...

:evilgrin:

[displacedtexan]

4. Oh! Thanks for the refresher course. This Bloomberg deal, though...

has me worried.

Even if the Dem candidate isn't the greatest, voting for Bloomberg would propel him to higher office.

I find this frightening.

[smoogatz]

2. Pretty much everyone in NYC hated Rudy until 9/11.

He seemed to go out of his way to pick ridiculous fights with museums, his police department kept shooting and torturing unarmed black people, and God only knows what he did with the homeless. And he's responsible as mayor for much of the chaos on 9/11 that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of first responders. But he did look heroic walking around lower Manhattan that day, while Bush was hiding in his bunker in Arkansas. That said, Bloomberg has no national status at all that I'm aware of--and no charisma to speak of. Michael who?

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. He was popular in 1997

when he was reelected mayor, despite being a Republican in a solidly Democratic city.

[Zynx]

10. Richard Nixon was popular in 1972.

George W. Bush was relatively popular in 2004. Things can change and change fast. Rudy by 2001 was embroiled in scandals and missteps that had his approval ratings in the toilet. He was an embarrassment to national Republicans at the time before 9/11.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. This could explain why George Pataki hasn't campaigned for Bloomberg.

Pataki isn't about to help a potential rival for the republican primaries in 2008.

[displacedtexan]

6. Great observation, no_hypocracy!

Puzzle meets pieces, huh?

[tritsofme]

5. Bloomberg would have a better chance at the Democratic nomination

than the GOP one.

Rudy is far too liberal on social issues to ever win the GOP nomination, Bloomberg would never be in serious contention for the GOP nomination.

[zalinda]

7. This is funny, considering what I just found out

Apparently, Bloomberg is a repub in name only. According to Deroy Murdock http://www.nationalreview.com/murdock/murdock092501.shtml

>It is amazing that so many prominent Republicans have allowed the glitter of Bloomberg's gold to blind them to his record as a devoted generous, liberal Democrat. Between 1990 and 2000, Federal Election Commission records show, Bloomberg gave $308,500 to Democratic candidates and campaigns while donating only $28,500 to Republicans. Bloomberg's beneficiaries include super-liberal, Democratic senators such as Iowa's Tom Harkin ($2,000), Maryland's Barbara Mikulski ($3,500) and Connecticut's Chris Dodd ($4,000). Bloomberg also cut checks to left-wing New York Democrats including U.S. representatives Jerrold Nadler ($1,000), Nita Lowey ($2,000), and Carolyn McCarthy ($3,500).<

zalinda

[displacedtexan]

8. Hm. I've seen Repukes turn Dem candidates out of spite before.

Both sides never trusted them.

I knew Bloomberg had been a Dem, but the thought of him buying a higher office with an R after his name really scares me.

His bitterness toward the Dem party could make him dangerous, no?

[robbedvoter]

11. Rudy had moments of humanity. Bloomberg is perfect for them.

Money, gangster ethics, oozes contempt and owns the media. Hell, Bloombeg IS the GOP!