Bloomberg's 'Rove' Also His Party Guy

Kevin Sheekey isn't just New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's political guru pushing him to run for president as an independent. He's also the mayor's image-maker and party guy.

We've learned that it was Sheekey who dreamed up the now famous Bloomberg Party that caps events surrounding the annual star-studded White House Correspondents' Association dinner every spring.

The very day Vanity Fair announced it was dropping its sponsorship, Sheekey moved in. His goal: Raise the profile of Bloomberg News.

At the time, 2000, Bloomberg wasn't mayor. "Sheekey's like Karl Rove and Michael Deaver all in one," says one ally, in a reference to President Bush's political boss and Reagan's image-maker.


By Paul Bedard