DCCC slams Shadegg for suggesting Bloomberg's daughter will be kidnapped'

Washington(CNN) - A spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee criticized a Republican congressman Tuesday for suggesting that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's daughter will be kidnapped by terrorists, calling it evidence that the GOP has been taken over by "Right Wing extremists."

"In case there's any doubt of the Republican Party being taken over by the likes of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Michele Bachmann and other Right Wing extremists, last night Republican Rep. John Shadegg actually suggested that Mayor Bloomberg's daughter will be kidnapped by a terrorist," DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer said in a statement.

"This is what happens when you have a Republican Party undeterred by their embarrassing loss in the NY-23 Special Election and desperate to win over the Right Wing fringe," he added.

On the House floor on Monday night, Shadegg criticized Bloomberg for supporting the Obama administration's decision to have the suspected 9/11 terrorists face a trial in New York City. Bloomberg said last week that it's "fitting" to have them tried close to the World Trade Center site and that the city has "hosted terrorism trials before," but Shadegg warned of other repercussions.

"I saw the Mayor of New York said today, 'We're tough. We can do it,'" Shadegg said. "Well, Mayor, how are you going to feel when it's your daughter that's kidnapped at school by a terrorist? How are you going to feel when it's some clerk - some innocent clerk of the court - whose daughter or son is kidnapped? Or the jailer's little brother or little sister? This is political correctness run amok."

Bloomberg's office said Tuesday it would not comment on the remark.

Bloomberg appears headed for victory.

(CNN) – A new survey suggests that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, running for a third term in office, holds a 12-point lead over his Democratic rival with just one day to go before voters there head to the polls.

According to a Quinnipiac University survey released Monday morning, 50 percent of likely New York City voters support Bloomberg, running as an independent, with 38 percent backing the Democratic candidate, New York City Comptroller William Thompson. Ten percent of those questioned are undecided and 1 percent supports Stephen Christopher, the Conservative party candidate.

Bloomberg's 12 point lead is down from an 18 point advantage he held over Thompson in a Quinnipiac poll released a week ago. Bloomberg was up 15 points over Thompson in a Marist College survey that came out Friday.

The survey indicates that Bloomberg is leading overwhelmingly among Republicans, has a 40 point advantage among independent voters, while Thompson leads by 5 points among Democrats. The poll suggests a racial divide, with Bloomberg leading among white voters by 42 points and Thompson holding a 39 point advantage among African-Americans. Hispanic voters back Bloomberg by eight points.

According to the poll, only 13 percent of Thompson or Bloomberg backers say they might change their mind.

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg hangs on to his doubledigit lead the day before the election," says Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Bloomberg holds a much larger lead over his rival in another key campaign measure: he's spend more than $33 million on TV ads, according to an analysis of New York City's mayoral race by TNSMI-CMAG, CNN's consultant on campaign ad spending. Bloomberg's launched 50 different ads during his re-election bid, which have aired more than 11,000 times. Bill Thompson, Bloomberg's Democratic rival, has spent just over $2.66 million on TV ads.

The Republican-turned-independent mayor has outspent most of the Republicans who ran in last year's presidential primaries, according to TNSMI-CMAG's Evan Tracey - his $33 million outlay is more than three times what John McCain spent to win the GOP nomination, and makes up the lion's share of the roughly $50 million in mayoral campaign ads that have hit the airwaves in the pricey New York media market.

Bloomberg's poll numbers took a minor hit late last year after he persuaded New York's city council to overturn the term limits to allow him to run for a third term this November - but his $33 million outlay has been followed by a massive 33-point advantage among independent voters, according to the new Marist poll.

Bloomberg has captured the endorsement of all three of New York City's major daily newspapers, the Times, Post and Daily News. The Spanish-language daily El Diario La Prensa endorsed Thompson.

The Marist College poll was conducted October 29-November 1, with 1,360 likely New York City voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

–CNN Political Producer Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter @psteinhausercnn

NYC Mayor Bloomberg up by double digits in home stretch.

(CNN) – A new survey suggests that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, vying for a third term in office, holds a 15-point lead over his Democratic rival, with just four days to go before voters there head to the polls.

According to a Marist College survey released Friday, 53 percent of likely New York City voters support Bloomberg, running as an independent, with 38 percent backing the Democratic candidate, New York City Comptroller William Thompson. Nine percent of those questioned are undecided, or backing other candidates.

Bloomberg held a 16-point advantage in a Marist poll conducted last week and was up 18 points over Thompson in a Quinnpiac University survey released earlier this week.

Bloomberg holds an even bigger lead over his rival in another key campaign measure: he's spend more than $33 million on TV ads, according to an analysis of New York City's mayoral race by TNSMI-CMAG, CNN's consultant on campaign ad spending. Bloomberg's launched 50 different ads during his re-election bid, which have aired more than 11,000 times. Bill Thompson, Bloomberg's Democratic rival, has spent just over $2.66 million on TV ads.

The Republican-turned-independent mayor has outspent most of the Republicans who ran in last year's presidential primaries, according to TNSMI-CMAG's Evan Tracey - his $33 million outlay is more than three times what John McCain spent to win the GOP nomination, and makes up the lion's share of the roughly $50 million in mayoral campaign ads that have hit the airwaves in the pricey New York media market.

Bloomberg's poll numbers took a minor hit late last year after he persuaded New York's city council to overturn the term limits to allow him to run for a third term this November - but his $33 million outlay has been followed by a massive 33-point advantage among independent voters, according to the new Marist poll. The survey suggests that Bloomberg is also leading overwhelmingly among Republicans, and splitting the Democratic vote with Thompson. The survey indicates a racial divide, with white voters backing Bloomberg by a margin of greater than 2-to-1 margin, African-Americans supporting Thompson by 23 points, and Hispanics backing Bloomberg by 18 points.

Three-quarters of likely voters questioned in the poll say they are strongly committed to the candidate they are backing.

Bloomberg has captured the endorsement of all three of New York City's major daily newspapers, the Times, Post and Daily News. The Spanish-language daily El Diario La Prensa endorsed Thompson.

The Marist College poll was conducted October 26-28, with 524 likely New York City voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

–CNN Political Producer Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Bloomberg has a clear lead in the New York City's mayoral race.

(CNN) – A new survey suggests that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, vying for a third term in office, holds an 18-point lead over his Democratic rival, with just eight days to go before voters there head to the polls.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday morning, 53 percent of likely New York City voters support Bloomberg, running as an independent, with 35 percent backing the Democratic candidate, New York City Comptroller William Thompson. Ten percent of those questioned are undecided, and 3 percent support Conservative Party candidate Stephen Christopher.

Bloomberg held a 16-point advantage in a Quinnpiac survey conducted in late September. Bloomberg also held a 16-point lead in a Marist College poll that was released last week.

The Quinnipiac survey suggests that Bloomberg is leading overwhelming among Republicans, has a 36-point advantage among independents, and is splitting the Democratic vote with Thompson. The poll indicates a racial divide, with white voters backing Bloomberg by a 2-to-1 margin, African-Americans supporting Thompson in roughly the same proportion, and Hispanics backing Bloomberg by 14 points.

"It's been shaping up all along, and now the new numbers say it looks like a Bloomberg blowout," says Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Bloomberg has captured the endorsement of all three of New York City's major daily newspapers, the Times, Post and Daily News. The Spanish-language daily El Diario La Prensa endorsed Thompson.

The Quinnpiac University poll was conducted October 23-25, with 1,088 likely New York City voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

(CNN) – Last fall, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg won his campaign to extend the city's mayoral term limits from two four-year terms to three. Next week, he'll see if voters think he should serve a third term.

Bloomberg, an independent, held a 16-point lead over Democratic City Comptroller Bill Thompson, 52-32 percent, in the latest polling conducted by Marist College. Twelve percent of likely voters said they supported other candidates or remained undecided.

Full story: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/25/2009.mayors/index.html

The New York Times endored New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's re-election campaign Saturday.

NEW YORK (CNN)– The New York Times endorsed Mayor Michael Bloomberg's bid for a third term Saturday, praising his ability to handle the most difficult situations.

"Mr. Bloomberg has been a first-rate steady hand during unsteady times," an editorial in The Times said. "He guided the city out of the post-9/11 recession, then tucked away money during the boom years that followed. That foresight has helped New Yorkers weather one of the worst economic downturns in 80 years. Mayor Bloomberg has easily earned another four years."

The editorial commended Bloomberg's Democratic opponent, city Comptroller William Thompson, but said he has spent too much time attacking the New York Mayor, and too little time laying out his proposed policies for the city.

Bloomberg won a campaign last fall to allow for a third mayoral term.

While his favorability in the polls took a minor dip after he persuaded New York's city council to overturn the term limits, the latest poll conducted by Marist College show Bloomberg, an independent, with a 16-point lead over Thompson, 52-32 percent. Twelve percent of likely voters said they supported other candidates or remained undecided.

A new poll suggests that Michael Bloomberg holds a 16-point lead over his Democratic rival.

(CNN) – With less than two weeks until election day, a new poll suggests that Michael Bloomberg holds a 16-point lead over his Democratic rival as the New York City mayor bids for a third term in office.

According to a Marist College survey released Thursday, 52 percent of likely New York City voters support Bloomberg, running as an independent, with 36 percent backing Democratic New York City Comptroller William Thompson, and 12 percent supporting other candidates, or undecided.

That 16-point lead for Bloomberg is up from a 9-point advantage in a Marist poll conducted in September. Bloomberg also held a 16-point lead in a Quinnipiac University survey conducted in late September.

The Marist poll suggests that Bloomberg is leading among Democrats, 47 percent to 49 percent. That's a switch from last month, when Thompson held a slight majority of Democrats likely to vote in the November election. The poll also indicates Bloomberg taking the Republican vote, but Thompson ahead 48 percent to 41 percent among independents.

According to the survey, nearly seven in 10 white voters say they back Bloomberg, with more than six in 10 African-Americans supporting Thompson, with Bloomberg leading among Latino voters 42 percent to 35 percent.

Bloomberg's poll numbers took a minor hit late last year after he persuaded New York's city council to overturn term limits that would have prevented the mayor from running for a third term this year. The Marist survey indicates that nearly half of those polled say Bloomberg's decision to change the term limits law makes no difference in the way they vote, with just over four in 10 saying the move makes them less likely to support Bloomberg.

According to the poll, Bloomberg's approval rating remains strong, with 58 percent of those questioned saying they approve of how he's doing as mayor.

The Marist College poll was conducted October 19-21, with 390 likely New York City voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Bloomberg has a clear lead in the New York City's mayoral race.

(CNN) – With less than six weeks left until Election Day, a new poll suggests that Michael Bloomberg holds a 16 point lead over his closest rival in the New York City mayor's bid for a third term.

According to a Quinnipiac University survey released Thursday morning, 52 percent of likely New York City voters support Bloomberg, an Independent, with 36 percent backing New York City Comptroller William Thompson, who recently won the Democratic primary for mayor, and two percent supporting Conservative Party candidate Stephen Christopher.

The poll indicates that Bloomberg leads Thompson 75 to 12 percent among Republicans and 61 to 25 percent among independent voters, with each candidate grabbing 46 percent of Democrats votes.

The survey also suggests that white voters back Bloomberg 62 to 26 percent while African-Americans back Thompson 53 to 35 percent. Hispanic voters questioned in the poll say they back Bloomberg 53 to 37 percent.

"Comptroller William Thompson, fresh from a big Democratic primary win, got no post-primary bounce in his campaign to unseat Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He has a 16-point mountain to climb and less than six weeks to do it," says Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted September 16-21, with 1,513 New York City likely voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg sent out his first Twitter message in both English and Spanish.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who built a communications empire by fusing technology and journalism, entered the Twittersphere Tuesday when he sent out his first micro-blog message. And he did it with a twist.

Bloomberg, who is seeking a third term in November, sent out a note that was written in English and Spanish.  @MikeBloomberg wrote: "Good morning! Trying this out during my spanish lesson. Como se dice 'first tweet'?"

News quickly spread around that the mayor's first tweet was partly in Spanish, but it is not the first time a language other than English has been used to convey a message by a politician on Twitter. For example, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has a Twitter account that only tweets his news in Spanish. And the White House not only tweets in English and Spanish, but has also sent out a message in Farsi.

Twitter does not maintain data on how many Hispanics use the social networking or how many people tweet in Spanish. Yukari Matsuzawa, who heads Twitter's International team, did tell CNN via e-mail, "It is very exciting though that Mayor Bloomberg is tweeting in Spanish! We hope to encourage more international tweets."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg holds a 10 point lead over his top Democratic challenger.

(CNN) - The top Democratic challenger to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg now trails the mayor by 10 percentage points, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday.

That's a drop from the 22-point lead Bloomberg held over New York City Comptroller William Thompson in the previous Quinnipiac poll released June 16.

Fifty-nine percent of New York City voters give Bloomberg a favorable rating in Tuesday's poll while 34 percent rated the mayor unfavorably. Sixty-three percent approve of the job Bloomberg is doing, while 29 percent disapprove.

Tuesday's poll surveyed 1,290 New York City registered voters from July 21-27. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. In the poll, Bloomberg was identified as "running as both a Republican and an independent" while in Quinnipiac's June 16 survey, Bloomberg was identified only as an independent.

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.

Two of out three surveyed approve of how Bloomberg's handling his duties as mayor. The poll also indicates that voters think Bloomberg's likable and don't think that the billionaire mayor is out of touch.

"This latest survey shows the challenges Comptroller William Thompson faces as he tries to portray Mayor Michael Bloomberg as unlikable and out of touch, and as he tries to build a base of black voters," Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a statement. "Black, white and Hispanic voters all would sooner share a July 4th hot dog and a beer with Mayor Mike than with Bill Thompson."

Bloomberg's poll numbers took a minor hit late last year after he persuaded the City Council to overturn term limits that would have prevented the mayor from running for a third term this year.

The Quinnipiac University telephone poll of 1,396 New York City registered voters was conducted June 9-14. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

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.

"As a businessman with expertise on Wall Street and finance and as a mayor who has balanced budgets and delivered services, I can tell you that the enormity of the challenges ahead should not be underestimated," Bloomberg said.

"I care deeply about sustaining the progress we made and finishing the job the voters elected me to do."

Bloomberg, an independent since 2007, wants city council to change the current two-term limit law and offer voters another choice.

"As always, it will be up to the people to decide, not me," he said.

In 2005, Bloomberg easily defeated his Democratic opponent, Fernando Ferrer, the former Bronx borough president, who was never able to gain any traction against the popular incumbent.

Bloomberg runs Bloomberg L.P., a global communications company that provides news and financial services to thousands of businesses worldwide.

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.'"

Full story

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.

Full story

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.

Asked Monday why he has been collecting data from national polls, he responded, "I didn't say I was collecting the polling research. You just said that."

When pressed on the question, Bloomberg grew agitated, though he did not deny the reports. "Miss, no matter how many times you ask the question, I'm not a candidate. That's the answer. I can't go into nitpicking. This is ridiculous."

Last week Gerald Rafshoon, a former media adviser to President Carter, and Doug Bailey, a former consultant to moderate Republicans, quit Unity08, a group dedicated to electing an independent presidential candidate.

The move came amid reports the two planned to announce the creation of a “Draft Bloomberg” committee sometime this week.

Next month, Bloomberg pollster and close adviser Doug Schoen will be publishing his new book, on how an independent candidate can win the presidency.

–CNN Radio Correspondent Steve Kastenbaum

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.

Last June, Bostic allegedly attempted to deposit two forged checks from the mayor's financial manager, Geller & Company, into Bostic's company bank account. The defendant allegedly set up the Laderman Development Company, located in Elizabeth, N.J., and wrote two checks, for $190,000 and $230,000 respectively.

Barbara Thompson of the district attorney's office said the size of the amounts and the checks' fraudulent appearance raised their suspicions and an investigation revealed they were forgeries. Bostic was arraigned Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court and is being held on $10,000 bail. His next scheduled court date is Oct. 18.

According to Thompson, authorities are unsure whether the alleged crimes are connected. If convicted, each man could face up to seven years in prison.

– CNN's Andrea Stout and Sarah B. Boxer

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

Hagel said he has no plans to run on a ticket with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

WASHINGTON (CNN)–Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, all but put to rest the rampant speculation that he has been planning to run on a third party presidential ticket with New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Chatter for their potential run started months ago when the two political mavericks had dinner together in Washington.

Though neither politician has ruled out running for higher office, Sen. Hagel said on CNN’s Late Edition this morning that there is no plan in place to run together. “I have never, along with Mayor Bloomberg, as far as I know, come to any conclusions or worked our way towards [running together] or applied any focus on that,” Sen. Hagel said. “I don't really see that happening.”

Sen. Hagel announced last week he would not run for reelection in the Senate when his term expires in 2008.

-CNN Late Edition Producer Ted Metzger

Bloomberg discussed the 2008 presidential race on his Web site Thursday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has repeatedly said he's not running for president. But for a man who claims he has no interest in the White House, he does not shy away from talk about the 2008 race.

His latest comments sure to arouse speculation came in a personal entry Thursday on the billionaire's personal Web site.

The former Wall Street CEO again denies he has any interest in a presidential run, but wrote, "It's time for something real…that's what this upcoming campaign needs to be about."

Bloomberg also said the question of whether he plans to run for president is misguided.

"'Are you running?' is the wrong question," Bloomberg wrote. "The question should not be about politics, but about leadership. Not who is the best candidate, but who will be the best president."

The New York City Mayor then dolls out what seems to be an early version of a stump speech.

"We need solutions that are innovative and bold, not superficial half-steps that are driven by politics, partisanship, or special interest campaign contributions," he wrote. "We need real solutions that honestly address the big challenges we face as a nation."

In recent months, Bloomberg has taken a series of actions that have raised speculation he may be considering an Independent White House bid. He dropped his affiliation with the Republican Party in June and has given several policy speeches outside of New York this summer.

– CNN's Paul Steinhauser, Katy Byron, and Alexander Mooney

Bloomberg denies he is considering a presidential bid.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will deliver a major policy address on poverty next week in the nation's capital, the latest in a string of national events that his office says is unrelated to a possible White House bid.

Bloomberg will discuss his recent initiatives in New York City to combat poverty in a speech sponsored by the Brookings Institution's Center on Children and Families. The event will be held on Tuesday, the same day the U.S. Census Bureau will release its annual report detailing income and poverty levels in the nation.

"The mayor said he is not running for president, but he's going to use his time in office to work on the issues important to the city and important to the country," says Lindsay Ellenbogen, a Bloomberg mayoral aide.

Bloomberg, who left the Republican Party in June to become an Independent, has denied rumors that he is mulling a third-party run for president. He most recently addressed the issue in an interview on the HDnet television network with journalist Dan Rather.

"Nobody is going to elect me President of the United States. What I'd like to do is to influence the dialogue. I'm a citizen," the mayor told Rather in a quote confirmed by Bloomberg's office.

Watch Bloomberg's immigration comments Monday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - He's not a presidential candidate, at least not yet, but New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is weighing in on comments from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney that New York is a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants.

"I can't think of any laboratory that shows better why you need a stream of immigrants than New York City," he said Monday. "I don't know what to tell anybody. They just - if they don't believe that immigrants add a heck of a lot more than they cost, they just aren't looking at the numbers.”

Romney has repeatedly criticized GOP frontrunner Rudy Giuliani saying the former mayor supported illegal immigration in New York City during his term in office. During his comments, Bloomberg did not mention either candidate by name.

While New York City has never declared itself a sanctuary city, it does protect citizens' confidentiality when they seek medical care or report a crime, according to The Associated Press. Giuliani supported that policy when he was mayor.

Following a tour of the border in San Ysidro, California on Monday, Romney said, "We welcome legal immigration. Legal immigration is great for this country. It brings culture and vitality, skill and innovation, which is helpful to this country and always has been."

"We are a country largely of immigrants and it’s a wonderful thing," he added. “But we want to make sure it's legal immigration. We have to end illegal immigration; we have to protect legal immigration. "

Bloomberg reported to jury duty in Manhattan on Monday

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Armed with magazines, briefing books and paperwork to pass the time, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg arrived Monday morning with his fellow citizens for a day of jury duty.

Bloomberg was just like every other juror at the State Supreme Court in Manhattan, except for television cameras and reporters who surrounded him on the front steps.

As he arrived, he said, “It’s part of democracy. It’s what I learned in the seventh grade, and I’ve always been a believer than everyone should participate.”

He was last called to jury duty before being elected mayor, but his group was dismissed shortly after arriving. “I planned to have a nice, quiet day catching up. Maybe this time I will.” But Bloomberg said he would rather be selected for a panel this time, noting, “It’s always more interesting to be on a jury than just sit there.”

Bloomberg will become the second sitting New York mayor to be on a jury if chosen. AP notes his predecessor, current GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, was foreman of a tenant dispute jury while in office in 1999.

Asked if the city can afford to have the mayor tied up on a jury, Bloomberg joked, “There are lots of people who believe the city is better off if I’m on a case rather than at City Hall. I’ll leave that to the op-ed writers.”

– CNN's Political Desk Managing Editor Steve Brusk

More: Bloomberg shows up for jury duty

Bloomberg’s personal Web site.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Web address www.mike2008.com may redirect readers to Michael Bloomberg’s personal Web site, but it shouldn’t be seen as a sign the New York City mayor is considering a White House bid, a Bloomberg spokesman tells CNN.

The New York Daily News reported the site’s existence Wednesday, but Stu Loser, a spokesman for the mayor, told CNN the domain name was originally purchased in 2005, along with several other domain names - including mike2005.com and mike2007.com.

Loser said Bloomberg’s staff purchased the domain names to prevent cybersquatting, the practice of buying a domain name that includes a trademark belonging to another person or company with the intent to sell at a high profit.

Loser noted the domain name has redirected to Bloomberg’s site for months and contended the Daily News report contains no new information.

Bloomberg, who officially dropped his Republican Party affiliation in June and has long been rumored to be considering an independent White House bid, re-launched his personal Web site in May.

– CNN's Jacki Schechner and Eric Weisbrod

Bloomberg could seriously alter the race for the White House, a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll finds.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg - who left the Republican Party last week - could have a serious impact on the 2008 presidential race, rivaling billionaire Ross Perot's influence in 1992, a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll suggests.

In the new poll's three-way matchups among registered voters, Democratic frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton would hold a slight edge in an all-New York race with 41 percent, compared to Republican frontrunner Rudy Giuliani's 38 percent and Bloomberg's 17.

In a two-way matchup, Clinton and Giuliani are effectively tied, 49-48 percent, with a sampling error of 3.5 percentage points.

In a race pitting Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, against Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Bloomberg, Obama drew 40 percent; McCain, 34 percent; and Bloomberg, 21. Without the New York mayor, Obama would edge McCain 48-44 percent, according to the poll.

The poll showed a possible Giuliani-Obama race a statistical dead heat, with Giuliani at 48 percent and Obama at 46 percent. But Obama led Fred Thompson by a wide margin, 52 percent to 40 percent, the survey found.

About a third of Americans - 33 percent - said they would be very or fairly likely to consider voting for an independent presidential candidate. That is considerably less than in June 1992, when 47 percent said they were likely to consider an independent. Ross Perot ended up taking 19 percent of the popular vote with an independent bid that year.

Bloomberg's decision to abandon the GOP last week has fueled speculation that the two-term billionaire mayor will mount an independent presidential bid. Bloomberg called that talk "very flattering" Wednesday, but said he has no intention of seeking the White House.

The poll, conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corp., surveyed 1,029 adults between Friday and Sunday. It had a sampling error of 3 percentage points.

Meanwhile, in the race for the Republican nomination, former Sen. Fred Thompson trails only Giuliani in a new poll of Republican presidential contenders.

Thompson, who has not yet officially declared his candidacy, saw his support grow from 11 percent in an April survey to 19 percent in the latest poll, taken Friday through Sunday. The former Tennessee senator and "Law & Order" star announced June 1 that he was forming a fund-raising committee, an early step toward a campaign.

Giuliani led among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents with 31 percent support, followed by Thompson with 21 percent. McCain followed with 19 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney drew 11 percent.

Among the other GOP contenders, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas congressman Ron Paul were tied with 2 percent; Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado and former Wisconsin governor and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson came in with 1 percent each; and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California drew less than half of 1 percent.

The GOP ratings had a sampling error of 5 percentage points.

Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, preferences were essentially unchanged from previous polls. Clinton led the list of contenders with 43 percent, without former Vice President Al Gore included in the race. Obama trailed with 25 percent, and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina ran third with 17 percent.

Among the second-tier candidates, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson had 5 percent support; Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden of Delaware, 3 percent; and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, 2 percent. Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd and former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska each had less than half of 1 percent support.

The sampling error on the Democratic lineup was 4.5 percentage points.

If Gore got into the Democratic race, he would run third with 16 percent, holding Clinton to 35 percent and knocking Edwards down to 13 percent. Obama's support would fall to 23 percent.

Gore, the party's 2000 presidential nominee, has said he has no plans to run again.

Meanwhile, on the Republican side, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said he will decide whether to seek the White House in the fall. Gingrich would run fifth in the GOP field with 8 percent, behind Romney at 9 percent, McCain at 18 percent, Thompson at 19 and Giuliani at 30.

Clinton and Bloomberg appeared at a press conference together in May.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton praised New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Thursday, but he made clear that he's already backing another candidate in the 2008 presidential race.

"He's a smart fella, and suppose he couldn't bear being in the Republican Party - which I thought showed great, good judgment on his part," the former president said during his foundation's announcement of a new initiative to aid developing countries.

"I don't have anything else to say about him running for president. I already have a candidate," he added, referring to his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. "Whoever runs - the voters will decide on who'll be the best, and I think she'll be the best."

Bloomberg officially dropped his affiliation with the Republican Party earlier this week - a move that fueled speculation he is considering jumping into the presidential race as an independent candidate.

But on Wednesday, Bloomberg dismissed the speculation and joked he would only consider running “if everyone in the world was dead and I was the only one alive."

– CNN's Jamie Crawford and Alexander Mooney

Bloomberg is no longer affiliated with the Republican party.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's decision to leave the Republican Party Tuesday fueled speculation the billionaire might mount an independent presidential bid, but a recent Pew Research poll indicates that more than half of Americans wouldn't consider supporting him.

Only 9 percent of voters who have heard of the New York City Mayor say they would likely vote for him, while 23 percent say there is some chance they would back his candidacy. More than half of those polled, 56 percent, say there’s no chance they would vote for Bloomberg.

The poll also finds Bloomberg enjoys higher name recognition than many of the candidates, Republicans and Democrats alike, already in the race or seriously considering a run.

Nearly two-thirds of those polled, 65 percent had heard of Bloomberg, while 62 percent had heard of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican; 58 percent had heard of Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, a Democrat; 51 percent had heard of former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, a Republican; and 48 percent had heard of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat.

Bloomberg, a former Democrat who ran as a Republican in the New York City mayoral race, officially changed his party status to unaffiliated Tuesday - a move he says does not indicate he is considering a presidential bid.

The poll, conducted May 30 to June 3, surveyed 1,503 adults - 1,247 of whom are registered voters. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Bloomberg left the GOP party Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A day after quitting the Republican Party to become an independent politician, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg brushed aside speculation that he’s going to run for president on a third party ticket. But he wouldn't close the door completely.

"I have said that my intention is to be mayor for the next 925 days and probably about 10 hours, whatever's left, 11 hours," Bloomberg said during a news conference in New York City. "And that is my intention. I've got the greatest job in the world and I'm going to keep doing it."

But the New York City mayor also noted, "The more people that run for office the better."

Bloomberg said he dropped his Republican Party affiliation, because he wanted to be able to speak out about issues like immigration, Iraq and health care more effectively. The mayor said he thinks there are already a lot of choices for presidential candidates and that attention should be spent on those that are actually running.

"I think they're wasting they're time, I'm not a candidate, they should get down to polling on people who are candidates and we've got a lot of them in this country," he said. "We even have two people from New York who are candidates for President of the United States, I'm not sure the state needs a third."

He has made similar comments in the past.

But what would it take for Bloomberg to run?

"If everyone in the world was dead and I was the only one alive, sure," Bloomberg joked.

–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

Bloomberg is no long affiliated with the Republican party.

NEW YORK (CNN) - In a move likely to strengthen speculation about a possible independent bid for the White House in 2008, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he filed papers Tuesday to officially change his party affiliation from Republican to "unaffiliated."

"Although my plans for the future haven't changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city," he said in a statement announcing the switch. "As a political independent, I will continue to work with those in all political parties to find common ground, to put partisanship aside and to achieve real solutions to the challenges we face."

Bloomberg's decision brings to an end more than 13 years of improbable GOP rule in the nation's largest city, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by better than 5 to 1.

Bloomberg, 65, a billionaire media magnate, had been a Democrat before switching to the GOP to run for mayor in 2001. He was re-elected in 2005 with 58 percent of the vote, after pouring more than $84 million of his own fortune into his campaign.

Full story

Check the CNN Election Center for more on the 2008 presidential elections

Bloomberg is leaving the Republican party.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg changed his party affiliation from Republican to unaffiliated Tuesday, a move that will surely increase speculation he is considering an independent White House bid.

But Bloomberg, who has repeatedly denied he is planning a run, said in a statement his future plans haven't changed.

"Although my plans for the future haven’t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our City," he said.

Check the CNN Election Center for more on the 2008 presidential elections.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger joked about forming a presidential ticket Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger grace this week's Time magazine cover, and on Tuesday the two joked about forming a presidential ticket.

"There would be a fight to see who would be the presidential candidate and who would be the vice presidential candidate," Bloomberg said during a joint appearance with Schwarzenegger at a University of Southern California political conference. "He would want to arm wrestle for the top spot; I would want to check the Constitution."

Schwarzenegger, a native of Austria, cannot run for president according to the Constitution. Bloomberg meanwhile has repeatedly denied claims he has any plans to mount a presidential bid in 2008.

But that didn't stop Schwarzenegger from predicting the New York Republican would make "an excellent candidate" because "he's all about fixing problems and creating a great vision for our future."

READ MORE on "Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger: The New Action Heroes"

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Bloomberg is going to New Hampshire this weekend - but not for politics.

(CNN) - Even Mayor Michael Bloomberg admits how it looks, but he says it’s all just a coincidence.

Saying “I don’t think the country’s quite ready for me,” the New York City Mayor argued Friday that political watchers shouldn’t read too much into his trips this weekend to New Hampshire and California.

Appearing on his weekly New York radio show, Bloomberg again dismissed interest in seeking the presidency. He told WABC host John Gambling, “People will read into the fact I’m going to New Hampshire tomorrow.”

The surprised host said, “You’re going to New Hampshire? They have a primary, you know.”

Bloomberg smiled and said, “That may be, but the truth of the matter is I’m going to be in New Hampshire just for dinner. It’s my girlfriend’s college reunion.”

He then said he would also travel to San Francisco and Los Angeles, in part for appearances with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In addition, Bloomberg said he would appear at Google. He noted that Google has a presidential candidate series, but pointed out that his appearance is “not part of that.”

“I know it sounds like a coincidence”, he acknowledged, “but it is just a coincidence. You won’t believe this, but sometimes when conspiracy theorists talk, they’re wrong.”

To a caller who said he should run for President, Bloomberg said, “I hope to be mayor for another 930-odd days, but who’s counting?”

– CNN Political Desk Managing Editor Steve Brusk