Bloomberg Ends Rumors of White House Bid

New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, denied that he was joining in the race for the White House. With this Bloomberg squashed the two-year long rumors that had been circulating that he would be running for President as an independent candidate. However, this has also sparked off a new round of speculation – this time on which candidate would win an endorsement from him.

Bloomberg's clarification appeared in the form of a statement in an article in the New York Times, which stated, "I am not and will not be a candidate for president." Bloomberg went on to say that he would gladly support a candidate who had an independent, non-partisan approach. He, however, did not indicate if he was endorsing any of the current candidates. The article quelled almost two years of conjecture about whether the 66-year-old billionaire businessman would make a bid for the White House.

The speculation began two years ago when Bloomberg decided to quit the Republican Party and become an independent. Bloomberg is known for his views emphasizing a non-partisan approach in politics. In the New York Times article mentioned above, he has stated, "An independent approach really can produce progress on the most critical issues, including the economy, education, the environment, energy, infrastructure and crime. I believe... that an independent can win the presidency."

Concerning his involvement in the current presidential race, Bloomberg stated that he would instead concentrate on trying to "steer the national conversation away from partisanship and toward unity; away from ideology and toward common sense". If he did decide to run for the presidency, his political experience, gained during his stint as mayor of New York, and the vast personal wealth at his disposal, would make his candidacy a serious threat to the current front-runners.

By now, it is clear that John McCain will be winning the Republican nomination for president. However, Democratic candidates, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, are both locked in a close tie. It is to be seen if Bloomberg's endorsement will be an influencing factor in this race.