BLOOM ON THE RISE

So apparently my own mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is (a) leaving the Republican party and (b) possibly running for President in 2008.

Hmmm.

My thoughts: I don't despise him the way I did Il Duce Giuliani, but I'm not a fan. He projects a gentler version of Rudy's imperious, "I know better than you what's best for you" attitude, best exemplified by his unilateral ban on smoking in bars; he all-but invited the GOP to hold its national convention here in 2004, throwing hundreds of protesters into a makeshift jail on the floor of a bus garage on the Hudson river; he's generally continued & supported the "Turn Manhattan into a playground for the very rich" policies that Giuliani started through taxing, spending, & zoning policies; and he's actively facilitated NYC's Disney-fication, chain store-ization, and tourist-friendly annoy-the-fuck-out-of-Mike-eration.

Basically, screw Bloomberg.

But . . . and here's Hamlet's rub, I was born to be a fan of whomever wants to throw the proverbial wrench into a Presidential election.

(That was two hoary cliches in one sentence for all those counting at home. And hey, if you wanna add "hoary cliche" to the list, be my guest. I aim to please.)

Seriously, I love that sort of thing. I thought Perot was a Texas-sized jackass in a Rhode Island-sized package. But his run for office was fine by me. Third party candidates? Bring 'em on

So Bloomberg wants to switch out of the GOP? He already switched from being a lifelong Democrat into the Republican party so he could follow Rudy's template of being ostensibly tough-on-crime & friendly towards big business. It worked. Now he wants to switch back. Or out. Or whatever. So I'm supposed to wake up and notice that this friggin' billionaire who named his news service after himself is self-serving & egotistical? This should shock me?

Anyhow, I hope he runs, I hope he throws the whole election into utter chaos, I hope he makes an ass of himself on the national stage, I hope Hillary & Obama engage in name-calling and other idiocy, I hope the national Republican party splits in two based on differences in the religious arena. I don't care frankly. But if it helps even a little bit to get someone elected who's not part of the status quo, I'm all for it.