A Spoiler Passes the Torch

David Weigel | June 20, 2007

Last night New York Mayor (and noted ubermensch) Michael Bloomberg skunked his GOP registration card and became an independent, presumably setting up a 2008 run for president. As luck would have it I had talked with 1996/2000/2004 Green Party/independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader a few hours earlier. Here's Nader speculating on a Bloomberg run.

Some notes:

- As I've written before, I don't actually think spending big money on elections is a bad thing. I'm just asking Nader why, since he thinks that way, a Bloomberg run would be such a good thing.

- My $500 million estimate of Bloomberg's 2008 prez campaign budget is based on the number Deputy Mayor Kevin Sheekey has tossed around. Anonymous allies have said it could be $1 billion. Mark Green, the former NYC Public Advocate and 2001 Bloomberg opponent, told me he thinks Bloomberg would spend $2 billion.