Bloomberg gets good numbers in a new poll.

(CNN) – A new poll indicates Michael Bloomberg outpaces either of his main possible Democratic opponents in his bid for a term term as New York City mayor.

The Quinnipiac University survey of New York City voters released Tuesday morning suggests that the Republican-turned-independent mayor tops his chief rival, City Comptroller William Thompson, 54 percent to 32 percent in a November general election matchup.

The poll indicates Bloomberg would win across the board in the hypothetical matchup, winning Democrats by 9 points, Republicans by 59 points, and Independents by 33 points. Bloomberg would also win the white and Hispanic vote and split the African-American vote.

If Bloomberg faces off against Queens City Council member Tony Avella, the survey suggests Bloomberg leads by 30 points. The poll indicates Thompson tops Avella by 28 points in a Democratic primary match up, with nearly half of those questioned undecided.

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Bloomberg gets a strong approval rating in a new poll.

(CNN) — He may be struggling to woo the political rank and file, but a new poll suggests that Michael Bloomberg is getting a far warmer reception among his city’s voters: in a Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday, nearly two out of three New Yorkers approve of how Michael Bloomberg is handling his duties as mayor, giving him double-digit leads over two Democratic challengers as he runs for re-election to a third term.

Sixty-five percent of those questioned in the new survey approve of the job Bloomberg's doing as mayor. While that's down 4 points from a Quinnipiac poll conducted last month, it’s still an impressive showing — especially given the current tough economic news, and the grim outlook for New York City's budget.

If the November 2009 mayoral election were held today, the poll indicates that Bloomberg would top New York City Comptroller William Thompson 50 to 33 percent, and would beat Rep. Anthony Weiner 48 to 36 percent.

The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Independent has faced resistance from some GOP and Independence Party leaders over his quest to gain their support for his re-election bid. Forty-one percent of the New Yorkers questioned in the new survey say Bloomberg should run for re-election as an Independent, with 19 percent suggesting he should run as a Democrat and 11 percent as a Republican.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted February 17-22, with 984 New York City registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Bloomberg is running for a third term.

(CNN) — Winning a third term may not be an easy feat for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a new poll out Friday suggests.

The two-term mayor is facing his lowest approval rating in four years, according to a new survey from Marist College, having dropped 7 percentage points from a similar survey three months ago. Now, 52 percent of New Yorkers approve of Bloomberg's job performance, down a full 16 points from October.

A plurality of voters, 49 percent, also say New York City is moving in the wrong direction, and 55 percent think it's time for a new mayor.

Still, it's not all bad news for Bloomberg. The Independent mayor easily beats any possible Democratic candidates, including New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, City Comptroller Bill Thompson, and City Council Member Tony Avella.

The poll surveyed 827 registered voters in New York City on February 16 and 17. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Sixty-nine percent of New York City residents questioned in a Quinnipiac poll released today approve of Bloomberg's job as mayor. Only one in four disapprove of how Bloomberg's handling his job running City Hall.

(CNN) – A new poll suggests that New York City voters approve of the way Michael Bloomberg is handling his job as mayor, even if they oppose the extension of term limits that allowed him to run for a third term.

Sixty-nine percent of New York City residents questioned in a Quinnipiac poll released today approve of Bloomberg's job as mayor. Only one in four disapprove of how Bloomberg's handling his job running City Hall.

The poll also indicates that New York City voters give the Republican-turned-independent double-digit leads over his likely Democratic challengers in this year's mayoral election: The poll suggests New Yorkers would back Bloomberg over New York City Comptroller William Thompson 50 to 34 percent, and would support him over Rep. Anthony Weiner 50 to 35 percent.

New Yorkers give Bloomberg high approval ratings and support him for re-election, but the poll suggests that 56 percent of them disapprove of the City Council's move last year to extend term limits, allowing Bloomberg and the City Council members to run for third terms. Sixty-one percent of those polled say the limit of two four-year terms should be restored after this year's election.

The Quinnipiac University phone poll of 1,216 New York City registered voters was conducted January 20-25. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, pictured here in a 2004 file photo with Caroline Kennedy, has refused to back Kennedy in her bid for a New York Senate seat.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declined Thursday to endorse Caroline Kennedy as Hillary Clinton’s successor, but added that he knows “exactly” who should be the next senator to represent his state.

But he wouldn’t give a name.

Bloomberg did praise Kennedy saying that “she’s very competent” and “she’s done a lot for New York City,” but added that he is not in the position to publicly endorse any prospective replacement for Clinton, who is President-elect Barack Obama’s designate for Secretary of State.

“I should stay out of the race, personally,” Bloomberg said during an appearance on ABC’s ‘The View.’

“It’s not my call. If it were my call to pick somebody, I know exactly …,” added Bloomberg, who was immediately asked “Would you pick her?”

“I can’t tell you, because then I’d be getting involved,” Bloomberg responded.

Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg’s deputy mayor, is supporting Kennedy’s bid to be appointed to the seat by New York Gov. David Paterson.

Bloomberg also noted that Paterson is “lucky to have a number of different candidates” to consider for the seat.

–CNN Producer Shirley Zilberstein contributed to this report.

Michael Bloomberg's approval ratings have dropped since trying to change the city's mayoral term limits.

(CNN) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's approval rating appears to have taken a significant hit since he successfully sought to change the city's mayoral term limits.

According to a new survey from Marist College, Bloomberg's approval rating is down 9 points from a similar survey taken one month ago. The mayor still enjoys a 59 percent approval rating, though Marist reports this is the first time since 2005 it has been in the 50 percent range.

"The voters don't like being defied, and Bloomberg is paying a penalty for persuading the City Council to overturn term limits that were passed twice by New York City voters," CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider said.

"He has one advantage, Schneider also said. "No Democrat at this point seems strong enough to over take Bloomberg. He also has another advantage. Lots of money."

Fist elected in 2001, Bloomberg cited the financial crisis for the reason he was seeking a third term.

"I don't think the city needs another campaign. It's going to be tough enough to get us through this," Bloomberg told reporters last month referring to the meltdown on Wall Street.

The poll was conducted from November 17-19, and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Mayor Bloomberg is asking city council to change term limits.

NEW YORK (CNN) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Thursday he is asking the city council to change the office's two-term limit allow him to run for a third term.

"If the City Council should vote to amend term limits, I plan to ask New Yorkers to look at my record of independent leadership and then decide if I've earned another term," Bloomberg said in a news conference at City Hall.

The mayor, a billionaire businessman, is credited with helping New York City recover economically after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, which felled the twin towers of the World Trade Center and killed more than 2,700 people.

Elected for the first time just two months after the attacks, Bloomberg pumped tens of millions of dollars of his own money into that campaign, as well as his bid for re-election in 2005.

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

NEW YORK (CNN) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday that whoever wins the presidency in November, "at least we'll have an adult in office who can lead and accomplish something."

During a question-and-answer session, Bloomberg said he will not have to agree on all matters with whomever he ultimately endorses for president.

"I'm looking for a candidate that is willing to face reality and say, 'We can't have everything and there are costs and we've got to make choices.'"

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BROOKLYN, New York (CNN) – Introducing John McCain before his economic speech and roundtable in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the Arizona senator for showing him the ropes when he ran for mayor in 2001 — and credited his victory to the presumptive Republican nominee.

“I got elected because of you,” Bloomberg told McCain. “So if the people of New York are happy, they should say thank you to you.”

The mayor joked that his “good friend” burned ribs on the barbecue during a visit to McCain’s ranch in Arizona, though, “I will say it’s relatively small to be called a ranch.”

The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Independent mayor showered McCain with compliments. “No matter what your political affiliation or your views are, [McCain] really deserves to have the term hero attached to his name,” said Bloomberg, calling the senator “nothing if not forthright.”

Bloomberg did make it known what he expected of McCain: “the measure I think we ought to apply in judging candidates is are they candid? Do they offer concrete solutions to our most difficult problems? And that’s what we’ll be looking for today.”

Without pointing to any one candidate, Bloomberg argued, “we need strong leadership, we needed it after 9/11 and I think we need it even more today than ever before.”

CNN=Politics Daily is The Best Political Podcast from the Best Political Team.

(CNN)—Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue their focus on the economy Thursday. In the latest installment of CNN=Politics Daily, Suzanne Malveaux explains the candidates’ stances on economic reform.

Michael Bloomberg introduced Barack Obama at a campaign event, fueling speculation the New York City Mayor may endorse the Illinois senator’s White House bid. CNN’s Mary Snow has the details.

Also, the Jeremiah Wright controversy does not appear to have had a negative effect on Obama’s presidential run. Jessica Yellin reports on new poll findings.

Finally, talk radio host and CNN commentator Glenn Beck compares the looming Social Security and Medicare crisis to a “$53 trillion asteroid headed for earth.”

Click here to subscribe to CNN=Politics Daily

–CNN’s Emily Sherman and Alexander Mooney

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote in a New York Times op-ed that he will not run for president.

(CNN) — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has publicly flirted with the idea of a run for the White House as an independent, says he will not run for president.

"I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not — and will not be — a candidate for president," Bloomberg wrote in an op-ed posted on the New York Times Web site Wednesday night in advance of Thursday's paper.

The 66-year-old billionaire had publicly repeated that he was not a candidate for president in recent months, while leaving open the option that he could become one.

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Related: John Dickerson analyzes Bloomberg's decision not to run

(CNN) — New Yorkers overwhelmingly like Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but most don't want him to run for president, according to a new poll.

According to the just released WNBC/Marist poll, 66 percent of New Yorkers say Bloomberg is doing either a good or excellent job running the city. But just as many say Bloomberg should not mount a White House bid — only 25 percent of New Yorkers would like to see him run for president.

A new effort is being launched to urge Bloomberg to jump into the presidential race. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Michael Bloomberg has repeatedly said he is not a candidate for president, but two political operatives are hoping a 50-state petition drive will change that.

Gerald Rafshoon, a former spokesperson for Jimmy Carter, and Doug Bailey, a veteran GOP consultant, announced Tuesday they are launching a nationwide petition in hopes of convincing the New York City mayor to enter the race. The two said they have filed papers with the Federal Elections Commission and the IRS to form an official committee.

In announcing the effort, Bailey said the times call for a figure like Bloomberg.

"At a time when the economy is in great peril and facing a recession, Mike Bloomberg represents an unique answer to his experience and his understanding and his success in the financial markets," he said. "At a time when the Washington political system is broken, wouldn't it be refreshing to have a president elected who owes nothing to the lobbyist, nothing to the special interest, and nothing to the extreme elements of either the political parties."

Rafshoon noted the onetime Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent is a multi-billionaire who can finance his own presidential bid, and won't be beholden to special interest groups or a party platform.

"This is not somebody who has a crazy vision of the country and how he would like to spend his money," he said. "But he will not be taking money from lobbyists. He will not be taking money from New York bankers or any of the people you said that have met to discuss a Bloomberg candidacy."

Bloomberg continues to deny plans of a run, but news surfaced last week he has launched a research effort to measure how much support exists for an Independent presidential bid. A source close to the mayor told CNN he will make his final decision about a presidential run in March — conceivably after both party's nominees are determined.

Asked about the new effort, Bloomberg said he is "flattered," but added, "I am not candidate for president of the United States. I've got a job which I think is a phenomenal job."

Related video: CNN's Carol Costello reports on the Bloomberg push

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Bloomberg says he is not running for president, but advisers are exploring whether he can win.

NEW YORK (CNN) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would not rule out a presidential run in 2008 Monday, amid mounting reports that his aides have been gathering research on whether he can win.

Bloomberg tried to deflect the question Monday, pointing out that he was not currently an official presidential contender. "I've said this before. You would think that people would get tired of the answer. I'm not a candidate for President of the United States,” Bloomberg told reporters at an event at Harlem Renaissance High School.

But he would not say he was not planning a run.

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that Bloomberg is paying for heavy polling and voter analysis in every state.

A source close to Bloomberg told CNN last week that data assessing Bloomberg’s chances had been collected, but not yet analyzed, and that the mayor might make his decision on a presidential run by early March.

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Watch CNN's Suzanne Malveaux size up the latest news on Richardson and Bloomberg.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux takes a look at how the latest news from Bill Richardson and Michael Bloomberg may affect the presidential race.

Bloomberg is testing support for a White House bid.

NEW YORK (CNN) – New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has launched a research effort to assess his chances in a potential bid for the presidency, a source close to the mayor told CNN.

The source said data is being gathered but that the mayor — who has been widely speculated as being interested in running for the White House as an independent — has not yet begun analyzing that data, the source said.

The source, who is intimately familiar with the mayor's deliberations, said he has set early March as a timetable for making a decision.

Bloomberg, a former Democrat who was elected to the mayor's office as a Republican, joined a panel of moderate current and former lawmakers earlier this week at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. The group, made up of both Democrats and Republicans, called for a return to bipartisanship in government.

"What has changed is that people have stopped working together," Bloomberg said at the Monday gathering. "Government is dysfunctional. There is no collaboration and congeniality. There is no working together and 'Let's do what's right for the country.' There is no accountability today … no willingness to focus on big ideas."

— CNN's John King contributed to this report.

In an interview with CNN, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg explains why he is attending a summit of moderate politicians this weekend and whether it means he may run for president. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Obama and Bloomberg had a surprise breakfast Monday in New York City.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — New York may be Sen. Hillary Clinton’s home turf – but the man in charge, Mayor Mike Bloomberg, met this morning with Barack Obama, one of her chief rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The pair sat down for coffee and eggs in midtown Manhattan, just a quick cab ride away from former President Bill Clinton’s offices in Harlem. The mayor might be a billionaire, but Obama still paid, and left a big tip – almost 60 percent.

While Bloomberg has always spoken well of Clinton, he feels no special hometown loyalty to the senator, who failed to endorse him during his two mayoral runs, when he ran as a Republican.

Bloomberg reached out to the Obama campaign, according to campaign spokesman Bill Burton, who told CNN's Mary Snow the pair discussed issues from the economy and education to homeland security and global warming – but wouldn’t say whether the two talked about a possible presidential endorsement.

“They have a shared belief there is too much game playing in Washington and not enough problem solving,” said Burton, who added that there are no future meetings on the books.

Bloomberg, who is no longer registered to any political party, has long pledged to steer clear of national politics and the presidential campaign, but his morning meeting with the Illinois senator (which only appeared late last night on Bloomberg’s schedule, and caught many Obama-watchers by surprise), comes on the heels of a similar meal with Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, just a few days ago.

Obama and Bloomberg first met earlier this year, when the mayor came to Washington to press for more Homeland Security funding for the Big Apple.

– CNN Associate Editor Rebeca Sinderbrand

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

NEW YORK (CNN) — Two men have been accused of stealing money from the personal bank account of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Manhattan District Attorney's office announced Tuesday.

Charles Nelson, 31, was charged with grand larceny and identity theft after stealing $10,000 from the billionaire in an online transaction on May 11, the district attorney's office said in a news release. The defendant allegedly transferred the money into an e-trade account and then withdrew it using a debit card.

The release said Nelson was arrested in Newark, N.J., after authorities discovered a computer, documents and two guns linking him to the crime. He was to be arraigned in New Jersey on weapons charges and then transferred to the district attorney's office.

Authorities discovered the withdrawal after being alerted to a different transfer from Bloomberg's account allegedly attempted by Odalis Bostic, 24, of Elizabeth, N.J.

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg greets President Bush.

NEW YORK, New York (CNN) — Democrat-turned-Republican -turned-Independent Mayor Michael Bloomberg stood alongside President Bush Wednesday, as the president touted one of his main domestic priorities.

As he wrapped up his trip to New York City, Bush made a case for Congress to renew the No Child Left Behind Act, saying, “Don't go backward when it comes to educational excellence."

The New York mayor joined forty fourth and fifth graders from P.S. 76 for the announcement, and First Lady Laura Bush.

President Bush cited new results from the National Report Card showing improvements among fourth and eighth grade students in math and reading test results. The president also noted that the New York City school system recently won the Broad Prize, an award given to the urban school district that shows the greatest improvement in poor and minority student achievement. Bush said No Child Left Behind Act was a factor in the city’s progress, but praised Bloomberg for his leadership.

The president said, “The mayor is a no-nonsense guy who understands that if you set a goal, you expect to see results in achieving that goal. He knows how to ask tough questions, and he's pretty good about moving aside bureaucracy that will inhibit the people he has selected to achieve the goal.”

– CNN Political Desk Manager Steve Brusk