Even after the Obama surge took the wind out of the stillborn draft-Bloomberg movement, the hype continues. AP reports that the New York City mayor is polling to test the waters for a possible independent candidacy:
Adding to the most wide open presidential campaign in a half-century, associates of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg disclosed he had authorized polling and voter analysis in all 50 states in a possible precursor to an independent candidacy.
...Bloomberg, a second-term mayor of New York, has repeatedly denied interest in a White House bid, but associates said his decision to gather information on a possible run was made months ago. His spokesman, Stu Loeser, declined to comment.
A neutral assessment would presumably find that a liberal-leaning New York City billionaire with no national constituency or rationale for a presidential bid would have little chance in a system that is stacked against third parties. Unfortunately, any pollster or consultant working for Bloomberg has a powerful financial incentive to tell him otherwise.
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