Bloomberg Studies Running
The Washington Post carries an AP report that Michale Bloomberg is thinking of running for president despite the continuous denials. Michael Bloomberg has been spending gobs and gobs of money to study just that possibility. The article says that the amount of research he has been doing is enormous.
The scope of the research, details of which were revealed to The Associated Press, demonstrates how seriously Bloomberg is considering running for president despite his almost-daily denials that he isn't entering the race. The extensive coast-to-coast research effort shows that Bloomberg is willing to dig deep into his wallet simply to gauge his chances of winning and lining up the proper support network.
"They want a hard-headed sense of their chances," said Doug Schoen, who spearheaded Bloomberg's voter database efforts, known as microtargeting, for his two mayoral campaigns.
Bloomberg's spokesman Stu Loeser declined to comment.
Schoen says he is not working for Bloomberg now, but he is part of the mayor's inner circle and makes a convincing and well-researched case in his new book, "Declaring Independence," about how a third-party candidate such as Bloomberg could run for president and upset the election this year.
Schoen was widely recognized for his microtargeting work in Bloomberg's first campaign. It was considered a groundbreaking concept in 2001 to gather and use information on individual voters, rather than voting blocs, to tailor and tweak the campaign message, advertisements and overall theme.
The Bloomberg database being created nationally would also be used in those same ways if he were to run, Schoen said. But for now, it will serve as the basis of gauging potential support for a bid.
Using the microtargeting model, research firms working for Bloomberg are gathering comprehensive information on voters throughout the country, such has who owns a home, has children in college, where they vacation, type of car or computer and past political support. All the puzzle pieces will then be arranged to create a picture of each individual.
What is disturbing is that he is collecting an enormous amount of personal data about voters - which he is buying from private companies that collect it. That should concern people. If he decides against running, what will he do with all that? He won't just throw it away, will he?
By martian, Thursday, 10 January , 2008 @ 1:13 pm
If he gets into the race I think he’ll do more damage to Democrats than Republicans - the opposite of the “Perot Effect” from 1992. That could give the Republican candidate a win in November.
By Mockin'bird, Thursday, 10 January , 2008 @ 3:48 pm
Sure, Mayor, run out on your city just like Mrs. Clinton is doing.
It is not about your career, Mr. Bloomberg, it’s about the American people.
By feeblemind, Thursday, 10 January , 2008 @ 8:46 pm
I think if Obama is the nominee, Bloomberg is not a factor. If the nominee is the Queen of Darkness, I think he picks up some votes. Either way, it’s a ton of money to spend for an ego trip. His campaign slogan should be, ‘I know how to run your life better than you do.’