Despite his newly minted status in the party (before 2007 he was a Republican, before 2001 a Democrat), Independents want Mayor Bloomberg as their presidential candidate in 2012! The chairman of the party's Minnesota branch—the very same that helped raise WWF champ Jesse "the Body" Ventura to the governorship—has asked that the NY mayor give "serious consideration" to a White House run. "The two-party system has catastrophically failed America," said Jack Uldrich. "America needs a serious, credible independent to right our sinking ship and get it back on track to a prosperous future."
A spokesman for Bloomberg—who's been denying presidential ambitions since considering a run in 2008—told the Daily News "The only thing the mayor is focused on is being mayor." Still, another Independent chimed in with his support: New York State Party Chairman Frank MacKay said he would be "100% behind" the mayor if he decided to launch a campaign as an Independent.
Despite his denials, the Independents aren't the only ones buzzing about a Bloomberg presidential bid. Last week the mayor relocated some of his enormous fortune from a private equity firm founded by an old pal, ten months after it became the subject of a pension fund scandal. Following the announcement the Times suggested, "His decision to relocate his money may fuel speculation about his political ambitions: he is considered a potential candidate in the presidential campaign of 2012."
