Posted on 01/02/2008 10:32:38 PM PST by neverdem
With unusually dismissive language, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg offered tart assessments of his potential presidential rivals at a news conference on Wednesday, suggesting they are offering meaningless bromides rather than serious answers to the problems confronting the country.
On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Mr. Bloomberg delivered his critique in language that was both sharp and coy, and likely to draw more attention as he prepares to head to Oklahoma for a conference that is widely viewed as a possible launching pad for a third-party presidential bid.
At one point, Mr. Bloomberg appeared to take aim at his predecessor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, saying that candidates need to explain how they will fight terrorism.
“‘I’m going to be tougher than the next guy’ is not an answer to what you would do,” the mayor said at the news conference, which was officially held to announce a drop in teenage smoking rates but veered toward the Oklahoma trip in response to a question by a reporter.
On health care, Mr. Bloomberg took a veiled swipe at former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who signed a measure requiring residents to obtain insurance or face penalties but has since distanced himself from some parts of the legislation.
“One guy had a plan that we don’t know if it will work, but then he walks away from his own plan,” Mr. Bloomberg said.
And on trade, the mayor seemed to be taking a dig at Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying, “Some people are in favor of free trade and then walk away from it.”
Nonetheless, the mayor warned the reporters against writing that he was singling out any of the candidates for criticism, saying they are all failing to lead.
“Don’t say, ‘O.K., Bloomberg’s criticizing A, B or C’ on either side,’’ he said...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Bloomberg put together a nice business-news service.
Mayor? Joke.
President, or political commentator? Worse than a joke.
Did you read the NY Post story? He’s a Perot from the left, “payment in kind,” IIRC.
This guy could garner votes in Brooklyn,and the West Side of Manhattan. And in Jewish enclaves in Florida, Ohio, Illinois and California. He is an arrogant, unpleasant little runt of a man who revels in the slaughter of unborn babies. He used his vast wealth to buy the mayor’s office out from under a mediocre Democratic opponent, a Puerto Rican career politician who thought it was his turn but who failed to do the math and realize that,at least on the voting rolls, Jews still outnumber Hispanics in New York. Bloomberg would like to buy the presidency and perhaps has deluded himself that he can. But his appeal is very limited.
Bloomberg has been a Democrat, a Republican, and now an Independent depending on what serves his personal ambition at the moment. Whatever label he chooses can’t obscure the fact that he’s a flaming Nanny State liberal with billions of dollars to gratify his whims and vanities. His city is being overrun with illegal aliens and his priority was to criminalize some poor slob who lit up a cigarette or cooked with transfatty acids. Wow! Those are the priorities of a great leader!
“Bloomberg put together a nice business-news service.”
“Mayor? Joke.”
“President, or political commentator? Worse than a joke.”
I don’t much about his record or style as mayor but I’ve watched a business video with him and several others and he said “I have no walls and barriers in my offices because we work as a team and nobody is smart enough to know everything so teamwork triumphs a know-it-all decider” (shorter version for brevity). What you’re saying is that this approach works in business but not in government?
The FNC anchors hyping the ‘latest buzz’ and then mooning over Bloomberg really really need to get out of NYC once in a while.
Do you have any links to support that statement?
“I don’t much about his record or style as mayor but I’ve watched a business video with him and several others and he said “I have no walls and barriers in my offices because we work as a team and nobody is smart enough to know everything so teamwork triumphs a know-it-all decider” (shorter version for brevity). What you’re saying is that this approach works in business but not in government?”
I do find it hard to believe HIS personal offices don’t have walls, but i don’t know for sure either way. If he were a trader, no walls would actually make a lot of sense with the right people.
“I do find it hard to believe HIS personal offices don’t have walls, but i don’t know for sure either way. If he were a trader, no walls would actually make a lot of sense with the right people.”
The video actually showed his offices and there were no barriers. It was a business video for foreigners to learn English and understand American business philosophy. In Europe, there is a lot of debate about who should be stronger, government or business. The best of the best minds are going into business (starting about 20 years ago) so American business philosophy is very important. So in this sense, the objective of the presentation could have been to address Europe’s tendency towards top-down management and Bloomberg’s presentation was specifically towards this issue.
He’s Dennis Kucinich with five billion dollars, an uglier mug, and a whinier voice. He’s Dennis Kucinich without the Alien Connection.
He’s a bigger dweeb than Dennis Kucinich.
I would sooner vote for Dennis Kucinich. I’d put my faith in his Alien Connections. At least that’s something.
Bloomberg has nothing. One of the biggest zeros on the American scene.
In all the reports I’ve bothered to read about Bloomberg I have never once heard anyone say he is getting into the race too late. Fred is bashed too many times to mention for starting late (he actually started at a better time) but Bloomberg gets a pass.
I like how the Times dutifully filled in the blanks for him, anyway.
When Bloomberg’s secretary told him she was pregnant, he told her “Kill it...I need you here!” From what I have heard, the things he said and did to the women he paid millions in his sexual harassment lawsuits was much worse. The records of those are sealed unfortunately. The man is an absolute scumbag.
Its telling nobody is really paying attention to Bloomy outside of New York and DC.
That's not the reason. Bloomberg spent $16 million alone on Black radio stations to basically call Fernando Ferrer a racist who never helped blacks. It was very effective. Bloomberg doubled Giuliani's vote totals among blacks.
I swear I think that if he runs his running mate may be with Obama.
John
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