Jan 10, 2008 7:28 pm US/Eastern
Insider: Bloomberg Would Spend $1 Billion On Run
Mayor's Campaign Would Feature Massive Internet Presence
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Mayor Bloomberg's pollsters have been busy gauging support around the country for a potential presidential bid. (File)
CBS
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A poster in the window of Gray's Papaya urges Mayor Bloomberg to run for president -- even offering free hot dogs on Inauguration day if he wins.
CBS
It's another step towards the "Mike '08" campaign.
Mayor Bloomberg has been quietly spending million of dollars on voter research in all 50 states as he mulls an independent bid for the White House.
Voters seem to be warming up to the idea of Bloomberg running for president.
"I think this country needs an executive who knows how to run a business," said Paul Pershes of Manhattan.
"If he would run I would vote for him," added Mary Ann Internicola of Staten Island.
"That's a bright idea," said Ronald Saba of Cambria Heights.
Bloomberg himself may be warming up to the idea, too. He's already shelled out millions on a nationwide analysis to gauge his chances of winning the White House as an Independent.
"What Mayor Bloomberg is trying to assess with his advisers is whether there's enough support for him to revise his decision not to be candidate," said Douglas Schoen, author of "Declaring Independence" and a former Bloomberg political strategist.
Schoen says the time is ripe for a third party bid.
"I think there's room for a third party candidate now because there's widespread dissatisfaction with the system with the Congressional leadership," he said.
On Thursday, Bloomberg ducked a question from CBS 2 HD's Carl Gottlieb.
Gottlieb: "Why are you so coy about running for president?"
Bloomberg: "It's a beautiful day."
If he does run, Bloomberg has told advisers he'd be willing to spend $1 billion of his own money.
For a man with an estimated fortune of $12 billion, spending $1 billion to roll the dice for the White House is like the average New Yorker with an income of $62,688 losing $600 in Atlantic City.
A Bloomberg intimate told CBS 2 HD that if the mayor does decide to run for president he'll use the Internet in ways never before used in a presidential campaign. He'd even be able to generate a million volunteers in the space of a few weeks.
Among the questions Bloomberg's pollsters are asking is whether voters prefer a long time legislator over an entrepreneur who sought public office later in life.
They're also asking if Bloomberg's Jewish religion would affect their vote.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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