The first Jewish President?
With $1B of his own money, Michael Bloomberg could well become the first Jewish President.
He’s been very successful in NYC and unlike H. Ross Perot - he’s got experience in BOTH business and politics. Perot never really got himself aligned with particular political issues besides “not them” but Bloomberg seems to have his causes and issues hat on right.
My father was an expert at ‘divide and conquer’ tactics which is how they got Harold Washington elected as the first Black Mayor of Chicago. With voters turing out in the 40% range, this presidential election should turn out to be a pretty galvanizing, fun affair!
But I’d be wrong to not state my real opinion which Dave Winer asked me to blog a while back.
I REALLY don’t think America will elect a Black or Woman. Now the question is - “will America elect a Jew?”
So my answer is - no. Unfortunately.
America is too rascist, bigoted, close minded and leaning towards NASCAR, trailer parks and religous nut cases. America will never elect the right people. America will continue to shoot itself in the foot and bring home their children in body bags. Unfortunately that’s what America is.
But Michael Bloomberg would probably be a great President.
UPDATE: Gabe is right. It is wrong to equate trailer park inhabitance and respect and support of NASCAR to racism, bigotry, etc. I apologize. But this is politics - and if they can lie, steal and cheat - so why can’ I be a little biased? That’s why I usually don’t blog about politics - cause I AM biased. I am biased against Republicans, racists, bigots, Americans and capitalists in general. So that’s why I don’t vote and I usually don’t blog about politics.
Paolo and I just had a good conversation about this. I believe that the election is won or lost during the debates. Bush made both Gore and Kerry look like wimps. But if Bloomberg could get up there and show his white face to America - maybe they’d be convinced that since he had a dick that it didn’t matter that we was a Jew.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:34 am
Why equate NASCAR and trailer parks with racism? Even if there’s a correlation, your suggestion seems, well, bigoted. (Geez, a trailer is the best some people can do.)
June 21st, 2007 at 4:40 am
The big question to me is can he get his name on ballots in enough states given the outrageous hoops 3rd party candidates need to jump through.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I hope Bloomie runs, he at least lives in reality unlike just about every inside the Beltway reality distortion field. The Democrats are apparently going to give us another ridiculous “centrist” candidate like Clinton or Obama.
As for the “will they vote for a Jew” question - welll if the Republicans select Giuliani, I bet the right wing extremists will bail on them anyway so its not out of the question. I mean, Giuliani support gay rights, he’s Italian (just about as untrustworthy to the racists), etc. And anyway the Republicans are about as popular as a skunk at a wedding at this point, its hard to see how the country puts another Republican in after the ongoing fiasco known as the Bush administration. Its going to be a Democrat unless theres a credible 3rd party / independent candidate. So, you’re really looking at whether people would prefer a sane Jew or a war-loving, weaselly woman (Clinton) or black (Obama). Of course this assumes Gore doesn’t jump into the Democratic nomination race (Edwards doesn’t seem to have much of a chance).
$1 Billion basically puts Bloomberg into contention. Perot was stark raving mad and even HE was #1 in the polls until he started weirding out.
June 30th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I fear that Bloomberg as President will make the US an even bigger target for terrorists. They will use the fact that he’s a Jew to mess with us even more. Will his allegiance be to the Jewish faith or to the United States? Which will he put first? Can’t be both…I am sure he would make a good leader, but at what cost to the American people? Other nations will excuse his decisions as pandering to the jewish lobby or to Israel. He would have to keep a GREAT distance from the Jewish Lobby and Israel in order to come across as fair and balanced.