Bloomberg stays neutral, but presidential preferences overheard

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

(CBS News) New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has yet to offer a presidential endorsement and has been courted by both President Obama and Mitt Romney, was overheard offering his opinions of the presidential candidates.

The New York Times reported that two people overheard Bloomberg saying he believed Romney would probably be better at running the country than Mr. Obama.

However, the Times said the people within earshot of the mayor said he could not support Romney because he disagreed with him on so many social issues, including on abortion and guns. One guest added that Bloomberg then said he planned to remain neutral this year.

The mayor's office declined to comment on the report.

The oft-outspoken mayor has publicly stayed mum on his preference this presidential election. But Bloomberg's conversation was overhead while he was attending a recent charity event a nonprofit associated with the mayor called the Fund to Advance New York City.

In May, Romney met with Bloomberg, an independent who has toyed with a presidential run, but CBS News reported at the time that Romney said he did not ask for Bloomberg's endorsement, instead they discussed the economy and several national issues.

Mr. Obama has been in touch with Bloomberg throughout his term, including at least one golf outing with the president in 2010. According to a New York magazine report, the Obama administration asked Bloomberg to run the World Bank, which Bloomberg declined. The two were also together during the president's visit to the World Trade Center site last week.

[tondelayo-2009]

I'm curious as to how many folks here in this particular forum are living in N.Y.C. In the last mayoral election (the one that wasn't supposed to happen because of term limits -- remember?), Bloomberg's opponent had a campaign war-chest of a bit over nine million dollars. Bloomberg spent well over ninety million dollars to buy that election ... and then only won by 4 % of the vote! Hardly a "ringing endorsement" from the electorate, eh? N.Y.C. voted TWICE to have term limits! Yet, this man has inflicted himself a total of THREE times upon this city where I have lived for nearly a half-century! And, a word on Rudy G.: had there been an election on September 10, 2001 in which he could have run for elective office, the voters would not have elected him as dog-catcher! There'll be much rejoicing when Bloomie is OUT, too! I have no right to any major opinion on the government of other cities; I've never lived there. BUT, I feel I am entitled to an opinion about N.Y.C.! Over four decades of day-to-day awareness counts!

[marychgo]

Surprise, surprise! Mitt Romney's program (insofar as he's been willing to tell us anything about it) is to serve the 1%; Mike Bloomberg is a leading member of the 1%. To his credit, Mike Bloomberg wants to give away much of his wealth before he dies, but he still wants to hang onto the power to divvy it up, rather than having to pay those awful Obama taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

And good lord, 7-luckyseven, what makes you think Mike Bloomberg or any other pro-choice American wants to force ANY woman to have an abortion? I can't get inside Mike Bloomberg's head, but I've never met anyone who's pro-choice who wanted to LIMIT the choice of anyone else! Having an abortion is a legitimate choice. Carrying a pregnancy to term is a legitimate choice. The point is that it's the woman who's pregnant who should HAVE that choice, not politicians or activists or ANYONE else!

[hillzhavays]

mary, in case you weren't aware, 70% of tax revenue currently comes from the top 10% of earners. You can even go to IRS.gov and look up the SOIT statistical tax data and see for yourself. Of course, you need to know math and understand how to read a spreadsheet.

People who mention the so-called "1%" are buying into a baseless Lefty argument that only has traction with a limited number of people who don't think for themselves and can't look up facts. Don't buy into the hype.

[tondelayo-2009]

BRAVA! to MaryChgo.

[RealiteBites]

I think Bloomberg's where a lot of people just right of center are in leftist states - Economically conservative, but socially liberal.

I guess in red states it's the opposite and people just left of the regional center are economically liberal, but socially conservative?


I think Bloomberg is probably more left of the country's center overall though, as am I ...

[ocman_nguyen]

This is a big endorsement for Romney.
http://wp.me/p28mLX-iT

[calif7]

No its not. Read the whole article. Bloomberg says he can't support Romney.

[bobnjersey]

[ two people overheard Bloomberg saying he believed Romney would probably be better at running the country than Mr. Obama.]
-------------------------------------
mike will 'probably' keep more of the gains on his billions in capital investment w/ romney's tax policies than from obama's.

meanwhile ... a 17oz soda, too much salt, and potatoes fried in trans-fat oil are now illegal.

[American72]

This quote comes from a Prague Newspaper in the Czech Republic, the newspaper is PRAGER ZELTUNGON>



" The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citinzery capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgement to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America, Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confedracy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama , who is, after all merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president".....

[Ben37221]

How better off are the Czech's who are much bigger fools than the American electorates. Granted, they are some folish souls among us-such as the stupid republicans, especially in the Southern State's who time and time again vote against their own interest because they have refused to think for themselves. Simply put, they have outsource their ability to think to criminals like Carl Rove, and the Rush Lingburg's of the world, just like the republican party outsourced the American economy to China and other countries.

[CBSDebbie]

Of course Bloomberg would support a business man over a Constitutional lawyer. Bloomberg is all about business. Can't buy a 16oz soda under the guise that Bloomberg cares about your health. If that were true there would be zero exemptions on his no 16 oz sodas. No you can have all the soda you want but you must buy 2 eight ounce cups. It's business. 2 brings in more than one.

[ocman_nguyen]

Constitution lawyer, my....
Obama broke all kinds of constitutional laws that it's a wonder
what he taught in his law classes.

[johne37179-2]

I heard the same thing from the janitor, the waiter, the farmer, the homeless guy down the block, the taxi driver, the school teacher, the factory worker, the small business operator, the housewife, the innovator thinking about starting a business, the soldier, sailor, marine and airman. In fact, everyone who has not been asleep the last three years thinks the same thing.

[looier]

If you SUGGEST Obama, spent two-thirds of his term kowtowing to the GOP trash and lackeys, you WOULD BE RIGHT.

If you suggest the GOP "has a better plan" you need to turn offf the TV and the radio and READ. Obviously you have NO clue what is taking place around you.

This ias a bad economic time and the GOP/TP (made up group of fools and lackeys), HAVE destroyed any short-term opportunity for improvement of the economy and people's lives.
NOTE the current JOBS BILL on the floor. (duh, what's that?).

So...Obama HAS been a wimp, thinking he is Ghandi or something while the GOP (as usual) has stood rfast in their utter contempt for the majority of the population.
Blame it on "them" BUT REMEMBER working-class YOU ARE THEM!!
So BY ALL MEANS vote for more GOP, vote for Romney that lying sack of ...
And BRING your vaeline, but remember when RECESSION #2 hits you have NO ONE TO BLAME but yourselves. I hope you get destroyed.

[elton5]

Ask the wizard for a brain. Please!!!

[ANTI_LEFT]

You gotta remeber dips++t, the Dems finger prints are all over this down turn in the economy. While your reading, read up on Nancy, Barney and Harry's participation in throwing this economy under the bus when they had control of the house. You must read something besides the Washington Post or crap put on CBS and the like to get the real story. Nice try though.

[TheIrascibleOne]

" . . two people overheard Bloomberg saying he believed Romney would probably be better at running the country than Mr. Obama."

So would our family dog.