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Report: Bloomberg Getting Repeated Briefings On Foreign Policy -- Proof He Might Run?

Now why would Michael Bloomberg be doing this:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been receiving foreign policy briefing sessions on a wide variety of topics, providing the strongest indication yet that he is considering a run for the White House, the Huffington Post has learned.

The sessions, which were confirmed by multiple sources, have been conducted with Nancy Soderberg, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and a Clinton Administration foreign policy adviser. One source described her as "Bloomberg's Condi."

A range of topics have been discussed, from non-proliferation to the defense budget, with a specific focus on the war in Iraq.

That really does suggest that he's seriously contemplating a run. One other thing we can conclude from this, meanwhile, is that Bloomberg apparently doesn't share Rudy's view that having been Mayor of New York is adequate preparation for the manifold foreign policy challenges a President faces. He apparently thinks you should learn something about the topic first.


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Bloomberg may be considering a run, but I think since on 9/11 the Feds failde so miserably to protect the city, it's his duty to learn and even conduct his own foreign policy. Any NYC mayor should be paying attention to foreign affairs. If Giuliani had done it, perhaps 9/11 would have been prevented. Of course that assumes that "Mr 9/11" didn't want it to happen.

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It's not just the greatly magnified role foreign policy plays in NYC politics. Some of the briefings Bloomberg is apparently receiving transcend thinking about both the city's security and understanding the global concerns common among the constituents of such an international city.

So Bloomberg may still be considering a run, particularly if he doesn't like the candidates the major parties nominate. Or, he may simply see studying international affairs as an important hobby befitting someone of his stature and CV. He's clearly flattered by all of the positive attention that talk about running has gotten him. He's travelled all over the country giving talks on a range of policy topics. Now that his reputation transcends his title and purview of his office, perhaps it seems natural that he branch out in his study.

Maybe it's mainly ego, maybe it's preparation for some higher office.

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Go Bloomberg Go!

Wouldn't he be an anti-dote to guiliani? A neutralizer?

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soderberg's a damn site better adviser than rudy's norman podhoretz.

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Sort of bold of you to suggest that Rudy doesn't have any foreign policy advisors. Bloomberg isn't claiming he needs them, either.

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wouldn't Bloomberg mainly split the Democratic New York state presidential vote and possibly throw it to the Republican?

wouldn't this be why he would run?

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or...he's aipac's designated hitter.

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Interesting. The current mayor of New York running against the former mayor of New York, and the Senator from New York.

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Using a former Clinton advisor? Vice President material perhaps? I know the full post suggests Soderberg has remained neutral in this election cycle and that supposedly Bloomberg sought out an independent advisor, but maybe that's all deflection.

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Using a former Clinton advisor? Vice President material perhaps? I know the full post suggests Soderberg has remained neutral in this election cycle and that supposedly Bloomberg sought out an independent advisor, but maybe that's all deflection.

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he's aipac's designated hitter.

um, are rudy or hillary not aipac-friendly enough? or are you making this comment because bloomberg is a jewish name?

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and bloomberg is absolutely not running and also will not be hillary's running mate. an all-NY ticket? come on already.

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Hmm, I wouldn't consider "Bloomberg's Condi" to be a compliment.

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I doubt Bloomberg is going to run for pres., especially after Thompsons ho hum late arrival let down. Didn't he recently leave the republican party, He seems to be grooming himself for a VP role. On a Dem. ticket he would draw a lot of republican leaning swing voters, be an excellent antidote to Rudy, (I think a better nyc mayor)
I agree not Clinton but I can see sense in
Obama/Bloomberg
Huckabee/Bloomberg
Edwards/Bloomberg

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If Mike counted on the idiots in the White house to protect NY after their stellar performance on 9/11, he'd be neglecting his duty.

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I'm not planning on running for president either, but I like to keep up on world news as much as possible. If you have a few billion, why not have a gofer, informationwise? He didn't get where he is by being uninformed.

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Very few things could get a conservative elected President in 2008.

Having 2 well-funded, reasonably well-known non-conservative candidates competing in the race s one of them.

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I've been thinking for a while that Bloomberg may be prepping himself to run for Senate should Hillary win the nomination and vacate her seat. If she did so, the seat would be filled by special election in Nov '08, correct? This would fit with Bloomberg repeatedly and emphatically denying a run for Pres yet maintaining a hold on a url for "Bloomber '08".

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I've been thinking for a while that Bloomberg may be prepping himself to run for Senate should Hillary win the nomination and vacate her seat. If she did so, the seat would be filled by special election in Nov '08, correct? This would fit with Bloomberg repeatedly and emphatically denying a run for Pres yet maintaining a hold on a url for "Bloomber '08".

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Ack. "BloomberG '08". Sorry for the typo - writing on a Treo = small buttons!

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Ack. "BloomberG '08". Sorry for the typo - writing on a Treo = small buttons!

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Actually the special election would not be in Nov. 08 - that's potentially when Clinton would be elected president. If she is elected, Governor Spitzer would appoint a Senator and the special election would be in 2010.

Which makes me wonder, in that case, who would Spitzer appoint? Certainly not Bloomberg...

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If she resigned her Senate seat when she was nominated rather than elected (not inconceivable, and I think something Kerry was wrong to not do in '04 - if you're running for Pres it isn't confidence inspiring to hold on to your back-up job) wouldn't Spitzer have the option of holding the special election that year?

Apologies if this posts twice like my other comments - I don't know why that is happening.

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I note from the C.V. on her website that Nancy Soderberg is a Council on Foreign Relations member. Its great to see that no matter who wins in 2008, whether it be Rudy, Hillary, Barak, John or Mike Bloomberg, the CFR candidate will win. We can expect the same great advice and policies we've seen in the past 50 years.

Good night and good luck.

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In Bloomberg's upcoming interview with Retirement Living TV, he makes VERY clear that he isn't interested in being anybody's VP.

It'll be online in a few days.

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If the country behaves, and nominates Rudy and Hillary, he will leave things alone.

If we act up, and nominate something like Huckabee and Obama, (that damned revulsion about sleaze and trust issues with Rudy and Hillary could cause voters to do things they really should not), then he is sure to run.

If someone unacceptable from either party seems strong enough to beat Rudy or Hillary, ---he would have a hard calculation to make.

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2008 Presidential Candidate Weekly Poll

www.votenic.com

The Only Poll That Matters.
Results Posted Weekly Tuesday Night at Midnight.

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Mark my words people, even though Bloomberg may run as an independent, I can't help but wonder that if Giuliani wins the nomination he would, no doubt choose, Bloomberg as his running mate, or the other way around.

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Yes, he is being tutored on foreign affairs by Nancy Soderberg. And as has been widely reported, he is also getting foreign policy advice from his friend Henry Kissinger.

I think this may interest you.

http://www.RunMikeRun.com

It is informational, and contains statements by politicians from both parties, notable business leaders and others regarding a possible third-party run by Mike Bloomberg. It also contains some videos of interviews and others of Mike speaking on issues.

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