I guess everyone missed Novak scoop of Ex Sen Boren D-OK meeting with Bloomberg

[CK_John]

and today's announcement. Sound like he offered him the VP slot and Boren said, I'm on board.

Link <http://www.wben.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=07748>

Bloomberg declined to debunk a published report by conservative columnist Robert Novak that he had discussed a possible independent presidential campaign with former Sen. David Boren, D-Okla. He acknowledged the conversation, but deadpanned that a Boren run for the White House had not come up. Then Bloomberg hastily cut off a reporter's follow-up inquiry by going to his next questioner during an appearance at Google Inc.'s campus.

[babylonsister]

1. Boren:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L._Boren

n the U.S. Senate, Boren was known as a politically and fiscally conservative Democrat, often aligning with southern Democratic conservatives like Georgia Senator Sam Nunn and Alabama Senator Howell Heflin. Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), who served with Sen. Boren, publicly stated that Boren should be elected President. Boren's Chief of Staff was a respected Capitol Hill insider, Charles Ward, a former longtime Administrative Assistant to Speaker Albert.

Boren served on the Finance and Agriculture Committees and was also the longest-serving chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Boren authored the National Security Education Act of 1991, which established the National Security Education Program.

Boren decided in 1990 to vote against the Persian Gulf War, surprising most political observers.


In a controversial public mea culpa in a New York Times Op/Ed piece, Boren expressed regret over his vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Partly as a result of that statement, The Daily Oklahoman, the largest newspaper in Oklahoma, which had encouraged and endorsed Boren's entire career, began calling for his retirement from the U.S. Senate.

In 1994, he resigned his Senate seat to accept the presidency of the University of Oklahoma.

more...

[rucky]

2. He's got a coalition of the willing!

I hear Poland supports a Bloomberg run, too.

This is a non-starter.

[CK_John]

3. Fool!

[aquart]

4. How old is Boren?

[CK_John]

5. Not sure, late 50's early 60's. n/t

[DURHAM D]

6. David Boren's biggest problem -

he is gay. He will never enter the Presidential race.

Also, a bit of a negative for David - George Tenet owes his career to him. David mentored him rapidly up the ladder. In fact, David Boren and George Tenent were having breakfast in a private hotel suite when 9/11 happened.

[CK_John]

8. Do you have a link to back that up or are you speculating. n/t

[DURHAM D]

9. It is not speculation and I don't have a link.

I know it for a fact. On the other hand, does anyone really care about the sex life of a 65 year old man?

BTW, he is doing a good job as President of OU - I hope he stays there.

On review - maybe you were asking about the breakfast. It is in Richard Clark's book and Tenet has mentioned where he was when it happened.

[CK_John]

10. So the world should believe that?

[DURHAM D]

12. Oklahoma is a small state.

Don't believe it - I don't care.

I'm gay so I don't hold it against him.

It almost kept him out of politics in the first place.

[TwilightGardener]

13. He has kids, right? And a wife/ex-wife? Not that that really means anything, but still...

edit to add: the skull and crossbones thing--that bugs me more...

[DURHAM D]

14. Are you kidding. Means nothing.

His father-in-law (of first wife) actually accused David of being gay way back when he ran for Governor the first time. The old fart (FIL) actually got on the tv and gave press interviews calling David all sorts of names - gay being the best of them. David called a press conference - put his hand on the bible and swore "I am not, nor have I ever been gay". He got elected as the entire gay community just silently shook their heads.

That was a different time and today (post Clinton years) he can't get by with it.

David has always said the reason he left the Senate was because of the relentless need to raise campaign funds.

[TwilightGardener]

16. Swore he was not gay on a Bible--at a presser? Oh Lordy--that tape

is still somewhere, to be played over and over again by both parties. Gotta hand it to Bloomberg--he's open-minded, at least! But if Boren's ex-wife's family hates him so badly, you gotta wonder why...

[DURHAM D]

7. Mid 60s - also member of Skull and Bones. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

11. It doesn't say he offered him a VP slot. Just that he doesn't deny

discussing an Indy run.

[CK_John]

15. The question was probably put as, "Would you consider VP if offered"? n/t