This morning in New York City, before giving his economic speech, Barack Obama was introduced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. While Bloomberg stopped well short of an endorsement, Obama took the opportunity to praise Bloomberg as his post-partisan soul mate.
I want to thank Mayor Bloomberg for his extraordinary leadership. At a time when Washington is divided in old ideological battles, he shows us what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions. Not only has he been a remarkable leader for New York -he has established himself as a major voice in our national debate on issues like renewing our economy, educating our children, and seeking energy independence. Mr. Mayor, I share your determination to bring this country together to finally make progress for the American people.
Ahh, yes, if only those pesky Democrats and Republicans in Washington would stop fighting. The problem with Washington has nothing to do with an obstructionist minority or an intransigent president. No, Democrats and Republicans are equally to blame. This is central to the message of folks like Bloomberg and Schwarzzenegger, aided and abetted by pundits like David Broder and David Brooks, who don't want to have to admit that conservative governance is an oxymoron and that Republicans being in power has been disastrous for our country because then they'd have to admit they were wrong for enabling it. I actually believe that Barack Obama is well aware that the solution to fixing Washington is electing a Democrat to the White House and more Democrats to congress, but it's comments like this that make me wonder. But I digress.
The reason the Obama-Bloomberg convergence is making tongues wag is because of speculation about an Obama/Bloomberg ticket. While the prospect makes me want to gag, there are some interesting cases being made for why it might not be a bad thing were Obama to become the nominee.
From First Read:
But it will be the potential of Obama-Bloomberg that could be the most important take-away. In fact, considering that anti-Israel sentiments being expressed by the Rev. Wright in these newly circulating church bulletins. A fortunate thing for Obama is at least these church bulletins aren't video. The idea of a Jewish running mate might end up making more and more sense for Obama as the summer wears on.
I actually think Marc Ambinder has a better argument for picking Bloomberg:
Obama isn't much of an administrator or a details guy by his own admission, while Bloomberg is so concerned about Your Health and Welfare that he studies intently the ins and outs of congestion pricing and trans-fats. He's a prime minister-type -- although he brings an outsider's sense of efficiency to the bureaucracy. Let Obama be the vision guy; Bloomberg could be the brass-tacts administrator.
Which actually sort of sounds like an argument for an Obama/Clinton ticket, doesn't it?
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