Sounds like Tom Harkin doesn't think much of Mayor Bloomberg...

[SaveElmer]

Harkin: Bloomberg 'The Little Rich Kid' Who Doesn't Want To Get Hands Dirty
by: Douglas Burns
Thursday (06/21) at 11:23 AM

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin this morning said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is like a “little rich kid” who doesn’t want to get his hands dirty with the sort of retail politics involved in presidential bids.

“Mr. Bloomberg, whom I don’t know real well — I’ve met him a few times — kind of reminds me of the little rich kid that if he can’t have it his way he’s going to take his little balls and go home,” Harkin said in a conference call with Iowa Independent and other media.
Douglas Burns :: Harkin: Bloomberg 'The Little Rich Kid' Who Doesn't Want To Get Hands Dirty

Earlier this week Bloomberg announced that he was leaving the Republican Party and becoming an independent, a move that has fueled speculation from political observers about a third-party candidacy with Hizzoner, and possibly U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., on the ticket.

Harkin said Bloomberg, if he is eyeing an independent presidential run, appears to be wanting to “take all his money and do his own thing like this little rich kid that doesn’t know how to get along with anyone else.”

Harkin said that if Bloomberg were a true leader he would have showcased his skills in the two-party structure.

“Why isn’t he a leader in the Republican Party?” said Harkin, a Democrat. “Why didn’t he take leadership positions in the Democratic Party when he was a Democrat?”

Harkin said American voters will be very interested to learn how Bloomberg is able to live with such extravagant wealth.

“How do you make $5 billion?” Harkin said. “I mean you’ve got to ask questions.”

He added, “It looks like a lot of luck to me probably. You know, he just lucked out and invested the right money and got on the right bandwagon and that was it.”

Harkin said he doesn’t mind when innovators like Bill Gates do well, but that he has questions about Bloomberg.

“Have we gotten to the point in politics where who has the most money wins?” Harkin said. “That’s what it seems like. If you’ve got the most money and you can buy the most media, then somehow you win. Well, I’m not certain about that.

Harkin said the American people will see through Bloomberg's switch.

“It sounds like he doesn’t want to go around Iowa,” Harkin said. “He doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. He doesn’t want to go out and go to town meetings and he doesn’t want to go in people’s homes and stuff like that. He kind of wants to ride above it.”

http://www.iowaindependent.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=400

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. "Little Balls"

Nice shot, Tom. Nice shot indeed.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Why not save his ire for Rudy, or Fred, or Mittens--

Bloomberg ain't running yet, and if he does, complaining that he's rich and successful isn't going to wash with most Americans, who tend to admire the rich and successful. Indeed, if this is all he's got, we're in trouble. In fact, this kind of stuff might provoke sympathy for him--this just has an unnecessarily belittling and personal tone, especially considering Bloomberg is short ("little rich kid"? "little balls"?).