Bloomberg shored up Lieberman's campaign by sending a team and money.

[madfloridian]

That kind of bothers me. I have not read this whole long article, but it is obvious the DLC has been in on his move since its inception. That makes me wonder if Hillary might be being considered of part of the team if he runs...which I thnk he will.

Then came the fall campaign and his move beyond national issues to national electioneering—endorsing and raising money for a micro-slate of Bloombergian candidates. There were moderate Republicans such as California governor Arnold Schwarzenegge. There were moderate Democrats such as Missouri Senate challenger Claire McCaskill. And there was Senator Joe Lieberman, the country’s most prominent independent, whom Bloomberg aided by dispatching a squad of seasoned hands to shore up his faltering operation. “No one in public life,” Lieberman says, “has done more for me in this campaign than Mike.”

http://nymag.com/news/politics/25015/index2.html

This is a long article. I guess my real reservations with this come with the fact I was hoping there would be a Democratic win in 08 for Howard Dean's sake. There still can be, but this is most definitely going to affect the race.

I think it might draw more moderate Republicans than Democrats...but if he goes Unity 08 there must be either a D or R as a running mate for n Indy.

As for backing candidates across the country, Bloomberg says, “I tried to support people that I respect … You look at Schwarzenegger: He’s worked across party lines. Or Lieberman: I’ve disagreed with him on many things, but he’s at least willing to say what he believes and not listen to what the party tells him to say. Claire McCaskill stem-cell research that may be the difference one day between you living and dying.”

Cynics will contend, not implausibly, that in supporting some of these folks, the mayor had ulterior motives. In helping McCaskill compete in a state crucial to Democratic hopes of retaking the Senate, he earned a valuable chit with Chuck Schumer. And Lieberman was in line to chair the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, a panel of no small importance to the city.

And these beginning paragraphs tell me his real connection to the DLC folks like Al From and Mike Steinhardt, DLC founders. Steinhardt is also a New York Sun editor, I believe. Correct me if I am wrong.

One day last July, Al From received an unexpected call from Michael Steinhardt. From is the founder and CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council, the centrist outfit in Washington that helped propel Bill Clinton into the White House; Steinhardt is the once-hellacious hedge-fund manager turned philanthropist whose name now graces the School of Education at NYU, a former chairman of the DLC, and a friend for decades of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. When From picked up the phone, Steinhardt greeted him thus: “How’d you like to come to New York and have dinner with the next president of the United States?”

From replied, teasingly, “I didn’t realize you’re so friendly with Hillary Clinton.”

The genesis of Steinhardt’s call was a conversation with New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein. Klein said that “Bloomberg was preoccupied—no, that’s too strong a word—that he was really focused on whether he should run for president,” Steinhardt recalls. Steinhardt reminded Klein of his association with the DLC and told him that if Bloomberg wanted to meet From “to get some perspective about the realities of running for national office,” he would happily arrange it. Fifteen minutes later, Klein called back and said that Bloomberg certainly did.

I will be frank. This connection bothers me. I always said if there was a 3rd party run it would be centrist not progressive.

The money and power bother me also. I guess that is what we will live with because there is no way to get the money out of campaigns.

I do think it shows a Hillary possibility somewhere on the ticket.

I think this has been planned for years, whatever the details. I think it was planned in 04. I doubt our activism or our votes matter that much.

But I have decided not to just back off and let Republican Democrats have the playing field. I can't do much, but I will try. I will point out the times they don't stand up for the people, I will post the agendas and the words they say.

Bloomberg seems like a good man, but we have plenty of good people in our party to elect.

More thoughts later. Late and my brain is tired.

[IndianaGreen]

1. Bloomberg put up the bucks, but it was the Israel Lobby that provided the manpower

Lieberman was called "Israel's best friend in Senate" by the Israel Lobby, and its agents were active in the Lieberman campaign against Democratic nominee Ned Lamont.

You can't parse Bloomberg and Lieberman from the Israel Lobby, the same lobby that is now agitating for war against Iran.

[MonkeyFunk]

2. You're worried about Clinton running with Bloomberg?

LOL

[snowbear]

3. M/Florida ~~~~

I know you said that you're brain is tired.. ..and maybe I just read your thread too fast -- but after your comments about Bloomberg's money..

You said:

I do think it shows a Hillary possibility somewhere on the ticket

Were you suggesting that she (gulp) could somehow wind up with Bloomberg on her ticket (or vice-versa) or did I read that whole thing wrong?



Thanks for the clarification!

[madfloridian]

5. Can't clarify because it is just a guess and a feeling.

Like from what Al From said. I'm going to bed and think about it more tomorrow. Like Hillary is a leader of the group, and the leaders jumped in with the Bloomberg thing from its inception. Just feeling.

[snowbear]

6. Okey Dokey...

..artichokie.

If you're going to bed, have a good sleep and we'll talk to you tomorrow!

[madfloridian]

4. This paragraph I pretty much agree with.

So it's not really Bloomberg I have issue with it is the infernal blasted type of centrists who are working their way into his possible campaign.

Bloomberg’s incursion into national affairs began with a flourish in March, when, in the span of three weeks, he waded into three contentious, headline-grabbing debates. On the fevered grandstanding in Washington over the Dubai ports deal: “What I don’t like is, all of a sudden it becomes the issue du jour and everybody’s rushing up there waving a flag, beating their chests.” On illegal immigrants: “We’re not going to deport 12 million people, so let’s stop this fiction; let’s give them permanent status.” On a gun bill before the House Judiciary Committee: “A god-awful piece of legislation.” Two months later, speaking at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine graduation, he attacked the politicization of science—from opposition to stem-cell research and congressional meddling in the Terri Schiavo case (“Was there anything more inappropriate?”) to the teaching of intelligent design (“creationism by another name”).

Actually he is speaking more clearly than many of our Democrats, so I can't fault him for that.