Politics

Obama-Bloomberg?

By Matt Cooper

Would Mayor Mike really take the number two slot? It's an interesting proposition as pressure growns on Gotham's billionaire chief executive to decide whether he's really going to run for president as an independent. Could he subordinate his CEO ego to someone else's administration? I doubt it. But he could probably do a couple of things for an Obama ticket while hurting it, too. First, he'd come with some economic credentials. He may have made his fortune running a business news empire rather than making cars or something more businessy but he still knows money and that might have some appeal in the recessionary climate to come. He's a white guy, which offers some balance to Barack. (He can't run with Clinton. Same state. Constitution prevenets electors fromvoting for veep and prez candidates from same state.)

The downside is that his gun control, anti-transfat positions aren't going to win swing states like Iowa, West Virginia or Pennsylvania where guns are an issue that could kill Democrats. Still, it's an interesting option for the mayor if he doesn't want to waste billions on a quixotic run for the presidency itself.

Full post as published by Portfolio.com: Capital on January 11, 2008 (boomark / email).