Zhongnanhai

I have already staked out my claim on the 2008 presidential election, and perhaps I was the earliest guy to do so. That being said, other factors can shake up the race, and we are getting lots of other factors.  Over the past couple of weeks Fred Thompson has emerged as a possible front-runner for the Republicans, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just pulled out of the Republican party amid speculation he will run as an independent. Despite all this, New York Times editorial board describes the ‘08 race this way:

Mr. Bloomberg’s announcement that he is getting out of the G.O.P. but not getting into the race, certainly brought some fresh air into the longest and already most airless presidential campaign in memory.

Really?  For the first time in history, a black man (okay, he’s not totally "authentic" black, which is the buzzword in the US media at the moment) has a realistic shot at becoming President.  Likewise, Hillary Clinton has a legitimate chance of breaking the gender barrier and becoming the country’s first woman President. Either one of those two storylines are great, and this year we have both!  Not to mention the candidates on the Republican side: an actor-cum-senator Fred Thompson shaking up the race, America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani, formerly-popular maverick Senator John McCain, a Mormon candidate (Mitt Romney) and now a potential respectable and formidable third-party candidate.  This is hardly what I would describe as an "airless campaign." What more does the Old Grey Lady expect? 

Anyway, I am just leaving the office, so don’t have a lot of time to expand on this (although I certainly have lots to add!). Below are a few links you might want to check out, with a focus on Bloomberg’s decision to bolt the Republican party and speculation on his next move.

• Some say Bloomberg has been preparing this bid for nearly two years, and has been studying Ross Perot’s third-party run from 1992. He doesn’t want to simply be a spoiler.
• Needless to say, his decision hasn’t made his predecessor, Rudi Giuliani, too happy.
• The Boston Globe isn’t too confident of Bloomberg, or any person who decides to run as an independent.
• And finally, if there is one MUST READ for politicos, it’s The Note by ABC News.  My former media relations boss (one of the smartest men I’ve ever met) turned me on to this, and it’s a must for those serious about US politics. Many of the links I’ve listed here are courtesy of the Note.