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Mayor/Presidential Candidate May Soon Run NYC

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Jan 2, 2008 5:29 am US/Eastern

Mayor/Presidential Candidate May Soon Run NYC

Legally, Bloomberg Can Wear Both Hats, But Should He?

Reporting
Marcia Kramer
NEW YORK (CBS) ― Will he or won't he? Only Mayor Michael Bloomberg knows for sure whether the "Mike '08" presidential buttons are ordered.

But even if he does run for the White House, New Yorkers will still have Mayor Mike to kick around.

He's a coy one, that Bloomberg.

On Monday, CBS 2 HD posed the question everyone wants to know: Mr. Mayor are you running for president?

His response: "Good morning. Happy New Year."

However, sources tell CBS 2 HD that if Bloomberg does enter the race he won't give up his day job. He intends to run for president and run the city. But is that legal?

"Absolutely," said Baruch College professor Douglas Muzzio. "Technically, he can do it. In a world of instantaneous communication and private jets he can do it."

Muzzio, however, says it would affect the kind of campaign Bloomberg runs.

"It's going to be an electronic campaign," Muzzio said. "He's going to spend his billion bucks. It's going to be TV air war. It's going to be Internet and it's going to be direct mail with personal appearances by Mike Bloomberg in strategic states."

Can Bloomberg do two jobs? Reaction on the street is mixed.

"No, I don't think he can," said Jude Register of Manhattan. "I don't think it's possible. I think it would be a disservice to the people of New York."

"Yeah, I don't see why not," said Troy Sealy of Brooklyn. "He has the experience, experience in the business world, and he's not too political a politician."

"He should really be the mayor of New York and stick with it," Staten Island's Jackie Bennett said.

"No, no. As good of a business manager as he is, no … it's a little bit too much," said Luther Ware of the Bronx.

If he decides to run Bloomberg would need about 650,000 signatures to get on the ballot in all 50 states and even if he had to pay people to collect signatures it would only cost several million dollars, not a lot for a billionaire.

Most pundits think Bloomberg needs to make a decision by early March, in time to get on the ballot in Texas.

That state has a May 12 deadline. The deadline in other states is not until July, August and September.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.