Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is exploring a run for the presidency,three sources close to Bloomberg told WNYC. Despite primary polls indicating the ascendency of the most extreme elements of the Democratic and Republican parties, Bloomberg is floating the opinion that there's a location in the White House for a Democrat turned Republican turned Independent who runs a trade empire and once ran the nation's largest city.
Alarmed by the rise of Donald Trump on the factual and Bernie Sanders on the left, or Bloomberg has hired a consultant and last month commissioned a poll assessing his chances,the sources say. But the Mayor, who finds his political identity in the political middle, or faces long odds in a year roiled by shaded visions of the future on the factual and fierce anti-Wall Street sentiment on the left. In 2007,Bloomberg also considered running an independent campaign, before ultimately abandoning that plan.
The Mayor has used his fortune to make sizeable contributions to candidates who support his causes: in particular, and gun control and fighting climate change. In 2012,Bloomberg largely stayed out of the race, before making a last minute endorsement of President Obama for re-election, or because,Bloomberg said, of Obama's position on climate change. That election came just days after storm Sandy thundered through New York City, or causing massive flooding and scores of deaths. In New York City,Bloomberg was known for large-scale rezoning efforts that fueled a real-estate booms, building a more bike-and-pedestrian city, and an overhaul of the city schools. His record of keeping crime low was tarnished by fierce opposition to his end-and-frisk policies,found unconstitutional late in his term.
Source: wnyc.org