A Danger To Democrats
A rather interesting look at Michael Bloomberg's possible entry into the Presidential race as a third party candidate by the New York Times today indicates that he might be more of a danger to the Democrats than the Republicans. And some leading Democrats are afraid of exactly that. Bloomberg, the Times notes, is not really an independent-type guy, he's really much closer to a hardcore liberal Democrat. Only further left.
Hundreds of miles from the hustings of New Hampshire lurks a possible presidential candidate who supports gay marriage, abortion rights and stricter regulation of handguns. Who doesn’t mind taxing the rich on their income or big companies on their carbon emissions. Who says that deporting illegal immigrants would destroy the nation’s economy. And who is not necessarily averse to adding more bureaucrats to the government payroll.
That politician — Michael R. Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor of New York — has spent months laying out his vision for a post-partisan approach to politics that would take the best from left and right.
Yet a close reading of the policies Mr. Bloomberg has promoted during his mayoralty suggests that Mr. Bloomberg actually has a lot in common with one party’s leading candidates — the Democrats — and not so much with the other’s. Indeed, on issues like gay marriage and gun control, Mr. Bloomberg stands well to the left of top-tier Democratic candidates like Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama……
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He has started a national campaign for stricter rules on handguns, something even most Democrats in Washington gave up on years ago because it was too politically risky. And he has come to publicly support the right of gay couples to marry, which most Americans oppose.
“If you put him on the national Congressional spectrum,” said Jacob Hacker, a political scientist at Yale University, “he would be in the middle — of the Democratic Party.”
In running for president, some Democratic leaders quietly worry, he would draw heavily from their own voters, making a Republican victory possible.
If you read the whole thing, you'll see that his self-proclaimed bipartisan approach really isn't anything of the sort. He is 'way over to the left on pretty much every topic. I don't see this guy as drawing any Republican support to speak of, but he could be a real problem for the Democrats if he does jump in.
By NortonPete, Sunday, 6 January , 2008 @ 10:48 am
Mike Bloomberg with a longtime Democrat who just switched sides in 2001 to run for mayor of NY. He beat Mark Green by getting an endorsement from Rudy Guiliani.
He is a Democrat regardless of what he says.
By feeblemind, Sunday, 6 January , 2008 @ 11:17 am
If Obama steamrolls HRC, I don’t think Bloomberg is a factor. Dems want to win badly and won’t waste votes on Bloomberg. OTOH, an independent running Paul, even picking up only a few percentage points, could torpedo the GOP’s fading chances to win in the Fall.
By syn, Sunday, 6 January , 2008 @ 11:53 am
Typical Democrat he is!
To get elected he told me he would be tough on fighting Islamic terrorism (Rudy by his side) then after I gave him my vote he told me ‘terrorism is no big deal and I should get a life’ and he could only profile little old ladies in the subway after which in typical Democrat fashion, every January since 9/11/2001 he heads down to Washgington DC to tell Congress that ‘NYC is Islamic terrorist #1 target and he deserves all the money in government coffers’.
American’s biggest problem is not addiction to oil, or drugs, or liquor, or money or sex…
American’s biggest problem is their addiction to happy.
Come hell or high water Americans need their happy fix.
This addiction hits everyone be they Independent, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Christian, Jewish, Muslem, Atheist, Envionmentalist and unfortunately the only cure is Misery.
I don’t want the happy juice if it means the end of my freedom.
By martian, Sunday, 6 January , 2008 @ 3:21 pm
Let’s hope he does get in - whoever the Dems nominate. He’s sure to draw off some of their votes and split eletion. Like Gaius noted, he’s not likely to draw off anyone who would vote for ANY Republican candidate so let him have at it I say!
By Mwalimu Daudi, Sunday, 6 January , 2008 @ 6:46 pm
I wonder - if Hilly the Hun loses, will Clinton Inc. back Bloomberg as a form of payback against Obama?