Bloomberg's confab hits a few snags
After generating a limited amount of interest — probably a small fraction of what organizers had hoped for — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led a group discussion in Oklahoma yesterday with elders from the Democratic and Republican parties. The purpose of the forum, apparently, was to “denounce the extreme partisanship of Washington and plot how to influence the campaign.” Given the vague inanities of it all, dday labeled the confab, “Wankfest.”
So, how’d it go? It’s probably safe to assume Bloomberg ended the day disappointed.
[E]ven as the mayor gathered on Monday with the seasoned Washington hands on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, the surging presidential campaign of Senator Barack Obama seemed to steal energy from the event and set off worry elsewhere among Mr. Bloomberg’s supporters.
Mr. Obama has stressed that he wants to move beyond gridlocked politics and usher in an era of national unity. A key organizer of the effort to draft Mr. Bloomberg for a presidential run acknowledged in an interview on Monday that that Mr. Obama’s rise could be problematic.
There’s been an implication that some of the high-profile participants who traveled to Oklahoma were at least open to bucking their party and supporting an independent Bloomberg candidacy. Yesterday, however, it became clear that this isn’t the case at all.
What are we left with? An independent mayor who has repeatedly said he will not run, the complete absence of a policy agenda or rationale for an independent campaign, a Democratic candidate who’s already filling the void, and group participants who aren’t interested in a third-party initiative at all.
I don’t doubt that Bloomberg is going to continue to pursue some kind of candidacy, but it’s increasingly looking like a pointless exercise.
Sure, lets unite with the gop who never compromise.
The unity message helps the gop.
Lets help the Dems gain a larger majority and lets not help the gop.
Bloomberg is an asterisk to a footnote.
What if Gore woke up and ran as a Green Party candidate? What fantasies I have.
There will be no credible 3rd party this time. We all get sick of the two-party system, but have you ever seen a credible alternative? Perot? And he did the 3rd paety thing as well as it's been done.
getalife @ 1:
My thoughts exactly- the Obama campaign's talk about "bringing people together" makes my skin crawl. We can't work with people who fundamentally believe that the best thing for the nation is to abandon their fellow man and prop up plutocrats in hopes that some crumbs might fall off the table for the rest of us.
Oh, look at the picture - four old, rich, white men. Another reason they aren't getting any traction.
There's already a centrist party -- it's called the Democrats. But as well intentioned as some of these third party candidates may be, they unwittingly give credence to the wholly erroneous notion that the Democrats are as extreme "Left" as the Republicans are extreme "Right" -- and all we need is a common-sense middle to bridge the gap.
Unfortunately, the battle seems invariably to be played out between the middle and the Right.
Travis @ 3:
i agree with your agreeance.
the "center" (however dubious that name is) has consistently moved to the right. nixon seems more liberal than some of today's dems.
the right keeps moving further to the right and today's dems keep moving to the right too--like bill clinton.
Since when do Republicans care what Democrats and Liberals think? There so busy courting Big Business and telling everyone else their going to hell.
dam this guys face looks like an old george w bush!!!!!!the resemblence is amazine!
Don't trust Bloomberg or the minions that sat with him on the committee he had last week. Just about ALL OF THEM have skeeltons.
Bloomberg and CO are afraid that the people are waking up to their lies and their power structure is collapsing.
Example. GARY HART.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2007/12/31/2007-12-31_bloomberg...
This was from sept 26 2007 (a few months ago.)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gary-hart/unsolicited-advice-to-the_b_6598...
Unsolicited Advice to the Government of Iran
Posted September 26, 2007 | 03:22 PM (EST)
Presuming that you are not actually ignorant enough to desire war with the United States, you might be well advised to read the history of the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor in 1898 and the history of the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964.
Having done so, you will surely recognize that Americans are reluctant to go to war unless attacked. Until Pearl Harbor, we were even reluctant to get involved in World War II. For historians of American wars the question is whether we provoke provocations.
Given the unilateral U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, you are obviously thinking the rules have changed. Provocation is no longer required to take America to war.
more in article.....
Basically Gary Hart said. Hey! You that that you can avoid war with the US by not doing anything? We've staged provocations before. How do you think The Spanish American War started or how the Vietnam war started?
And Christie Tood Whitmann. NYC first responders HATE YOU WOMAN! You being the head of the EPA and Bush lied and said that the air was clean to breath now THOUSANDS ARE DYING because you lie about the air being clean.
Chuck Hagel He also served as a Chairman and was CEO of American Information Systems Inc. (AIS), a voting machine manufacturer, until its name-change to Election Systems & Software (ES&S) in 1997. He had ownership interest in ES&S through it's parent company The McCarthy Group as of January 29, 2003, when The Hill reported that, due to his ownership interest, “Hagel’s ethics filings pose disclosure issue”.
THAT"S ONE OF THE REASON WHY we have no confidence you these elected officials. THEY ARE WARMONGERING, LYING, FRAUDULENT CRIMINALS!
Bloomberg is irrelevant and knows it UNLESS Clinton wins the Democratic nomination.
Correct, there is too much unity in the Dem party for the gop.
Obama wants more of this unity.
I am sorry but I do not see this as progressive.
Who gives a rats ass.Where is your coverage of the Sibel Edmonds story?????
Mr. Blade @ 9:
With corrections.
Would Bloomberg still be so helpful if a bunch of independents got together and drafted Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, and/or Mike Gravel for their ticket? Probably not (but, of course, the key point for today is to avoid making predictions, so let's assume that I didn't just type that, OK?).
Bill B @ 12:
Good question, Bill!
“denounce the extreme partisanship of Washington and plot how to influence the campaign.”
by AIPAC.
There, fixed.
"I don’t doubt that Bloomberg is going to continue to pursue some kind of candidacy, but it’s increasingly looking like a pointless exercise."
I agree. The chances of a Bloomberg candidacy are slim a this point. Even if he were to run he would have to campaign three times as hard just to catch up. Besides, there are already enough candidates out there to look at from both parties. Adding another one, even if he is an independent, would be futile. People have pretty much made up their minds about who they like and dislike now. For Bloomberg, if his Presidential aspirations are serious, would have to expect that he will more than likely lose. The only real goal he could possibly achieve is that of a spoiler.
There's always the Rat Bastard Party:
"There are some who have expressed concerns about the security of the Pakistani nuclear arsenal," he said, referring to doubts expressed by the head of the UN nuclear watchdog and others in recent days.
"Overall I felt reassured... and I will take that message back to Congress," he added.
Your Pal,
and only member of the Joe Lieberputz Party.
PS: We're all fucked if Lieberman says Pakistan has secured its nukes.
The Unity08 lemmings want to send this country off a cliff of privatization. They can all go to hell
"I don’t doubt that Bloomberg is going to continue to pursue some kind of candidacy, but it’s increasingly looking like a pointless exercise."
Leaving the votes with a choice between a right wing Republican or Hillobama.
Lovely.
Excuse me but Bloomber is not an "independent," he's a Republican. Yes, he switched party registrations to run for Mayor of NY, but since then, he's been 100% behind the Chimpoleon Presidency and the Republican Party.
The point of this exercise is not "non-partisanship," it's about how to get a Republican elected president when the current crop of Republican candidates doesn't stand a chance.
"Basically Gary Hart said. Hey! You think that you can avoid war with the US by not doing anything? We’ve staged provocations before. How do you think The Spanish American War started or how the Vietnam war started?"
And this is exactly what is happening in the Gulf now. Iran 'threatens' the U.S. Navy with ski boats? Sure they did. The pictures I saw showed power boats, riding pretty high in the water, obviously NOT loaded down with any explosives. No guns showing, nothing. I have seen scarier boats on the St. Croix river. Bush will attack Iran before he leaves office, but this may be for show since he is Isreal and is going to all the other Arab states in the region...
It's ok to trash the constitution; to out a CIA agent; to politicize the justice dept.; to lie a nation into a war of aggression which kills, maims,and displaces tens of thousands of innocents; but should it appear that a Democrat might be elected in "08 and WHOOOOA, we're way too partisan! We need to unite for the good of America! And where have these concern troll criminals been for the past seven years?
Crap! I was counting on Wankfest giving us that dramatic Nader-esque splitting of the Rethugnican vote. I guess I'll have to continue to get my GOP jollies from watching Slim Fast and Magic Drawers Jesus-fight over Ugly Freddy's snoring and McCain chanting Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran.
Here's a sight you seldom see in the U.S. McMedia.
http://tinyurl.com/18r
L.A. Confidential @ 25:
Boy didn't take long for them to get rid of that!
L.A. Confidential @ 26:
Jewish and Arab people arm in arm protesting Bush.
Bloomberg will do what he wants.
It's about time NYC seceded, and became a separate country, anyway.
[deleted--leave the anti-Semitism on your side of the keyboard please]
L.A. Confidential @ 27:
So Bush FINALLY became a 'Uniter'.
Yeah, they didn't think Ross Perot was a threat either. Ask Papa Bush how that went for him during the second term. Oh, that's right. He didn't have a second term. And Nader didn't really have to take THAT many votes away from Gore to change an election. There's a lot of VERY angry voters out there. Republicans/Independents are simply turning away from their party because they're as mad as hell. If they find a preferable candidate which will help to quell their anger, who knows what could happen. Bloomberg is socially a Dem, but fiscally a Republican. That's the match that a lot of centrists prefer.
If Hillary is nominated Bloomberg will likely run and the repubs will win.
You're so wrong K. Don't you read the newspapers?? He said he'd consider a run if it Edwards or Obama were the nominees because he considers them polarizing figures, just like Huckabee!!!! He'll stay out if it's Hillary!! Check the papers!! Read his quotes!!!
Who gives a damn about Bloomsberg apart from himself and some shallow pundits?
What are Bloomberg supporters called, bloomers?
Batocchio @ 33:
Is that why they call them press pools?
Bloomberg seems like an earnest guy, and bipartisanship (REAL bipartisanship, in which BOTH parties compromise instead of one party capitulating to everything the other one wants) is a noble goal, but he needs to try and focus on improving his own city for the meantime and make any federal ambitions known later on, when the country is in a less turbulent state.
what? another megalomaniac?
"elders from the Democratic and Republican parties. The purpose of the forum, apparently, was to 'denounce the extreme partisanship of Washington and plot how to influence the campaign."
Sounds like the entrenched Powers-that-be were plotting to overthrow the election and keep someone that would threaten their power structure from gaining power.
[Deleted. No 9/11 conspiracy theories, please. Site Monitor]
Gee Superman, it looks like Lois Lane doesn't need to be rescued after all!
Article: "What are we left with? An independent mayor who has repeatedly said he will not run, the complete absence of a...rationale for an independent campaign..."
I wouldn't agree with that. Bloomberg's "rationale for an independent campaign" is quite clear: HE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT, but few others agree with that. Therefore, a self-financed independent run. Not much of a rationale, mind you (for all I know, my dog wants to be prez), but for a billionaire egomaniac like Bloomberg, "I WANT..." apparently is rationale enough for anything.
You can't organize a movement around not taking a stand.
You have to be for or against something that actually affects peoples lives.
That's Wankstock. 3 days of peace, love, and bipartisanship.
Fox Conscience @ 10:
With due respect I completely disagree.
You may not want to hear this but Hillary Clinton can beat the GOP. Even a baby could probably retreive the White House from them this year considering the current state of affairs in the country.
I have no qualms with MB but ...isn't he more of the problem than the solution for things most people are mad about right now? Corp...get real.
Preacher Boob @ 28:
Anti-semitism is in the eye of the beholder. Consider: If there's a policy, or a law, or a rule, that we can't critique, or tease, or make fun of, or joke about Jews, or Israel, or Zionism, or AIPAC, or AEI, or NeoCons, JUST AS WE CAN ABOUT EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE, that's prejudicial, that we can't. That makes them special, different than the rest of the world, and THAT'S prejudicial.
To some folks, chopped liver without chicken fat, is anti-semitic. Matsoh without balls in anti-semitic. Putzes with skin is anti-semitic. It's all in the eye of the beholder.
Makes no difference at all who Republicans, rush out with. Any one of the democrats can and will beat the hell out of all of them, unless they use those machines, they have become so fond of, to steal this election as they have done in all the races sense Bush took over this country.
The Bloomberg is off the rose.
No...?
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