Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced in a New York Times Op-Ed that he will not be running for President. Being from New York City I have come to know Mayor Bloomberg's politics and have appreciated what he has done for the city and the nation in the past 7 years. He has proven that it is possible to get beyond partisanship and succeed in the political world. One of the first things he did upon getting to office was ban smoking in bars and restaurants, a trend that he started and has gorwn to cities across America and Europe. He leads the way on issues such as the environment by converting all taxis to hybrids by 2012. Bloomberg has traveled around the country discussing gun control and campaigning for stricter legislation. He and Gov. Schwarzenegger were here at Annenberg in the last year to discuss post-partisan politics in America. I could keep going but the fact is he has been ahead of the curve and this decision is no different.
Mayor Bloomberg has realized that he can do more for the country by not getting in the race directly but by continuing to raise issues that are important to this country in a way that doesn't need spin or contrived arguments but real honest, sorry John McCain, StraightTalk. Ralph Nader should pay attention. Below are some highlights from Bloomberg's Op-Ed:
"As a businessman, I never believed that either party had all the answers and, as mayor, I have seen just how true that is."
"In New York, working with leaders from both parties and mayors and governors from across the country, we’ve demonstrated that an independent approach really can produce progress on the most critical issues, including the economy, education, the environment, energy, infrastructure and crime."
"I am hopeful that the current campaigns can rise to the challenge by offering truly independent leadership. The most productive role that I can serve is to push them forward, by using the means at my disposal to promote a real and honest debate."
"I will continue to work to steer the national conversation away from partisanship and toward unity; away from ideology and toward common sense; away from sound bites and toward substance."
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You're totally right in characterizing Bloomberg's key strength as proving that it's possible to succeed by transcending partisanship. There are few examples of doing so at high levels of government, but he is certainly one of them.
I attended the conference you mentioned (Ceasefire: Bridging the Political Divide), which Annenberg coordinated last year. Bloomberg delivered his powerful refrain: that partisan gridlock in Washington can be overcome by using common sense, honesty, and innovation to find practical solutions.
Bloomberg announced his official adoption of the Independent label immediately after the conference (he had been affiliated with both major parties at some point in his career). Since then, he has really embraced his status as a symbol of political independence, and I agree that he can do more to advance this ideal without getting tangled up in Presidential politics--especially since there are strong candidates in the field. I found it noteworthy that he said essentially that his endorsement is up for grabs. It will be interesting to see if someone can win him over.
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