NY Mayor Bloomberg: most interesting potential candidate

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. ?- Mayor Bloomberg is decrying the state of the 2008 presidential race, faulting the major party candidates for offering shallow, simplistic prescriptions, and scolding the press for failing to demand more from those seeking the White House.

During an appearance at Google's headquarters in Silicon Valley yesterday, Mr. Bloomberg said the televised debates among the presidential candidates have been, in essence, a waste of time.

"They have absolutely nothing to do with the job and the qualifications. And they don't tell you anything about whether or not any of those candidates would be good or bad presidents. What they really say is, did they memorize their notes of ?'What to say if …' and whether their staff was able to anticipate," the mayor said. "If you look at both debates, they pandered, what I would argue, the same ways."

Mr. Bloomberg said the presidential candidates were exploiting the threat of terrorism, and failing to deliver solutions to problems such as illegal immigration, health care, and education.

"I think that none of them are addressing those issues," the mayor said during an exchange with reporters after the Google talk. "The press really is not doing its job of holding their feet to the fire. ... The tough questions are not what are you in favor of, but how are you going to get it through Congress?"

Mr. Bloomberg painted a picture of politicians in Washington dithering as America runs aground. "The country is in trouble," was his grim refrain.

The public critique of the presidential contest could be part of an effort on Mr. Bloomberg's part to lay the groundwork for an independent presidential bid. However, he insisted yesterday that he plans to serve as mayor through 2009 and then return to private life.

"I'm not a candidate for president," Mr. Bloomberg said. "My next career will be in philanthropy. I've done the government thing."

The mayor dismissed the debates as "just theater" and said he arrived at his assessment without having watched them on television.

Mr. Bloomberg's appearance on Google's campus came in the wake of visits from four declared presidential hopefuls, Senator Clinton, Governor Richardson of New Mexico, Senator McCain of Arizona, and a former senator from North Carolina, John Edwards. The mayor's chat was billed as part of a series dubbed "Authors @ Google." However, the autobiography that ostensibly prompted the invitation, "Bloomberg by Bloomberg," was released 10 years ago. "It is one of the seminal pieces of literature," he quipped.

Mr. Bloomberg warmed up the technology-oriented crowd of about 1,000 with tales of the "300-baud, acoustically coupled" modems used in the early days of the financial news and data service that went on to make him a billionaire.

He's got some geek street cred," Google's top lobbyist in Washington, Alan Davidson, declared.

Mr. Bloomberg's freewheeling question-and-answer session was peppered with the kind of provocative, blunt talk that could appeal to some voters while alienating others. "It's probably because of our bad educational system, but the percentage of people who believe in creationalism is really scary for a country that's going to have to compete in a world where science and medicine require a better understanding," he said in one such foray.

Today, the mayor and Governor Schwarzenegger are to take part in a conference in Los Angeles warning that Washington is addicted to and paralyzed by partisanship. Messrs. Bloomberg and Schwarzenegger share the cover of Time magazine this week.

" Washington is sinking into a swamp of dysfunction….We're talking about a serious and harmful addiction here," Mr. Bloomberg was to tell attendees at an opening session last night, according to a prepared text released by his office. "Unfortunately, there's no ?'Promises' clinic for partisanship."

Earlier yesterday, Mr. Bloomberg joined San Francisco's mayor, Gavin Newsom, at an event to build pressure on Congress to drop a legislative provision ?- known as the Tiahrt Amendment after the Republican congressman from Kansas who sponsored it ?- that bars the federal government from releasing data identifying the gun dealers that sell the most guns used in crimes.

"It's a disgrace," Mr. Bloomberg said. "It's a triumph of special interests and ideology." He said the restrictions have led to the deaths of police officers by preventing local officials from targeting the bad apples among gun sellers.

The mayor showed a flash of anger when asked by a New York Sun reporter about claims that releasing the gun trace data could prompt a flurry of lawsuits against weapons dealers and manufacturers.

"Let me just get this straight. You're worried about lawsuits and I'm worried about going to funerals? That's the story. Which would you rather have? There's no flurry of lawsuits. If people obeyed the law, there wouldn't be any reason to sue," Mr. Bloomberg said. "That's a ridiculous argument to make."

http://www.nysun.com/article/56809


Interesting person indeed. Could he actually WIN a State Wide election as an Independent for President?

Not sure, but I think he would use his OWN money and not be tied to any special interest or political group.

He's a douche-bag. Maybe he should go study the constitution instead of counting his money and blabbing his mouth off to a bunch of Googleites who wouldn't hire him if he needed a job, because he is too old.

Interesting observation. Exactly on what policies or actions of his govt, have you formed this conclusive opinion of Mr. Bloomberg?

Uh, his opposition to the Tiahrt amendment? His continual anti-gun stance and his Mayors conference on "gun violence" perhaps? No such thing Bloomer. It amazes me when idiots like this guy hate guns so much but love and want to rehabilitate lifelong criminals, while disarming law abiding citizens. He's a douche bag.

As a supporter of 2nd Amendment rights, I find it ONE of many important issues. I disagree with his position, but I also understand as Mayor of NYC, he may have to form different stances as it relates to Governing in NY CITY only.

Then why is he sending hit squads to other states to make "strawman" purchases of weapons from otherwise law abiding gun dealers? He's a douche-bag. Like a bad cop. Why is he out in my former stomping grounds talking to 20-something Googleites who wouldn't give his old ass the time of day if he didn't bring them mainstream publicity? He's right - there's something wrong with America, and people like him are a huge part of the problem.

If he can be a successful businessman and successful mayor, who knows what else he can do.

Definitely worth watching, whether it's as a candidate for higher office or a philanthropist.

Maybe he could be a bad cop.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Told ya so.

He sent "hit squads" to VA since it is a known fact that criminals, who should not have been allowed to purchase guns, bought thier weapons in VA and brought them into NYC to do more crime.

He had no jurisdiction in this regard and should have found another way to deal with this situation, I agree.

However, law abiding citizens are able to buy guns in VA, bring them into NYC, obtain whatever permits are necessary and no one will bother them.

The key you need to understand is LAW ABIDING.

Remember, I support the 2nd amendment, but it is NOT a blanket right. Convicted felons should lose the right under the 2nd amendment in my opinion.

Proof and clarification, please. Are you saying that someone who couldn't buy a gun in NY was able to personally purchase one in VA?

That's what the lawsuit says. FEDERAL gun Laws were broken in VA. See excerpts below.

"Convinced that illegal gun sales in Virginia contribute to violent crime in his city, Bloomberg has been arming private investigators with hidden cameras and sending them into Virginia gun stores to try to make illegal buys.

The process involves "straw purchases," in which one person legally fills out a form and buys a gun for someone else.

New York has filed suit against two dozen gun dealers over such practices, including six in Virginia.

In February, Town & Country Pawn Shop of Roanoke settled with New York and agreed to allow a special judge monitor their firearms sales. But several other dealers, including Bob Moate's Sports Shop in Richmond, are fighting the lawsuit in court.

According to the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York police recovered 22 guns between 1994 and 2002, including some used in homicides, that they said were sold by at Bob Moate's. In March 2006, New York sent a man and woman into the store to confirm its suspicion that the store was making illegal gun sales.

"Once the male investigator selected a gun and indicated a desire to purchase it, the female investigator, who had not been part of the discussion, approached the counter to make the purchase," the suit alleges. The woman filled out the required paperwork, but then the man came and paid cash for the gun, the suit says."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/09/AR2007050902573.html

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES THE FILING OF FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST ROGUE GUN DEALERS

15 Gun Dealers in Five States Are Named in Federal Lawsuit Following Sting Operation

Lawsuit Follows Mayor Bloomberg's State of the City Commitment to Cross State Borders To Fight the Flow of Illegal Guns into the City


Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, joined by Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt, today announced that New York City has filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of New York against 15 gun dealers identified as selling firearms in violation of federal law. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief intended to halt the dealers' illegal practices, and to recover money damages. The 15 gun dealers named in the lawsuit are located in five states - Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia - and were targeted because of the large number of guns that have been traced back to them following crimes committed in New York City. Based only on the incomplete data available to the City, more than 500 crime guns recovered by the New York City Police Department have been traced to these 15 gun dealers between 1994 and 2001. In his January State of the City speech, Mayor Bloomberg pledged to target dealers who sell guns illegally and hold them accountable for their actions.

"Today, we are sending a clear message to rogue gun dealers across the nation: straighten up and follow the law - or face the consequences," said Mayor Bloomberg. "We can't afford to allow out-of-state dealers to sell illegally - too many people die every year because they do. This lawsuit is major step forward in our efforts to keep illegal guns out of our City. By and large, most gun dealers respect and follow the law, but the small group of dealers that do not should be held accountable - not protected by the disastrous legislation being considered in Congress. It's time to hold these dealers responsible for their illegal actions - and that's exactly what this lawsuit intends to do."

"The gun dealers named in this lawsuit have sold guns in violation of a number of federal and state statutes, and the lawsuit asks the Court to prohibit these illegal gun sales, appoint a special master to monitor the dealers, and require sellers to submit to mandatory training," said Corporation Counsel Cardozo. "The lawsuit also seeks compensation for the cost of abating the nuisance created by these defendants, compensatory damages to
New York City, and punitive damages in order to deter other rogue dealers from engaging in the illegal practices described in the complaint."

Over the past six weeks, investigators from the James Mintz Group, a private investigative firm employed by the City, traveled to five states to confirm what gun trace data had already shown probable - that these gun dealers were violating federal laws governing firearms sales. The investigators, in teams of two, entered gun stores and followed a scenario commonly known as "straw purchasing" - where one individual makes all of the inquiries into purchasing the gun, and then the other individual, completely uninvolved in the sale process, fills out the required federal forms to pass the background check. Federal law prohibits licensed dealers from selling firearms to individuals when they have a reasonable belief that the firearm being sold is not for the person who purports to be the purchaser. A 2002 U.S. Department of Justice publication describes "straw purchasing" as follows:

"Straw purchases are one of the most frequent methods used to divert firearms out of lawful commerce, where they are a heavily regulated commodity, and onto the street, where they are available to anyone. Convicted felons will simply use a friend, a family member or a girlfriend to buy a gun for them. The felon provides the money for the gun, selects the gun, and directs the purchase. The straw purchaser just fills out all the required paperwork, posing as the buyer."

http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2006a%2Fpr156-06.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1

So now you have two criminals instead of one.

I don't see the problem. Train the store owners/operators to recognize the bad behaviour. Nobody is going to risk losing their FFL over a strawman purchase. This is just another example of the anti-gun crowd going after those horrible, awful, shady gun dealers who are so eager to risk their very expensive FFL and inventories to sell guns to criminals.