Bloomberg dumps GOP; Will he run?

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is the latest candidate for the 2008 presidential election who's running by not running, joining Al Gore and Fred Thompson.

On Wednesday, Bloomberg left the Republican Party, changing his party affiliation to "Independent."

However, immediately after doing so, he immediately declared that he has no intention of running for president, but of course he didn't slam the door shut, much less lock it with a dead bolt.

I've written it before - honestly, I do hope that he runs. I really want a viable third-party candidate, and Bloomberg seems as good as third-party candidate as any. He's a moderate who is beholden to no one, and he has the courage to take on big issues: global warming, stem-cell research, traffic problems, smoking bans in public places and tough choices on traffic, just to name a few.

Of course he's running. Why else would have change his party affiliation? He won't be running for reelection as mayor of NYC, and a man of Bloomberg's stature and wealth isn't going to run for governor of New York or any other state. Running for president is the logical choice.

He's smart to not declare right now. He can wait until next year because he doesn't have to go through all of the insane fund raising that the Republican and Democratic candidates have to endure. And, he leaving himself an out if he's really happy with the Democratic and/or the Republican presumptive candidate by early next year.

It's pretty entertaining to hear all of the talking heads on television saying he would have a "steep uphill battle," as I heard one put it the other day. Really? With $500 million (or more) that he'll deposit into this campaign account?

I'm already sick to death of the Ross Perot comparisons. Bloomberg is no Perot - he's got Perot's money, but unlike Perot in '92, Bloomberg has held elective office, and he actually has some ideas, not just Perot's empty, boastful blarney.

Best of all, if Bloomberg is elected, he'll owe very few, if any favors to big business and donors with deep pockets, because he will not have pimped himself for campaign cash.

I really hope that 2008 turns out to be 1992 all over again, in more ways than one. Bloomberg's entry into the race will be a very good thing.

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