He's Just
Citizen Mike

Michael Bloomberg is trying to say it as clearly as possible. Despite leaving the Republican Party to become an independent, a website mikebloomberg.com touting the New York's Mayor achievements that includes links to articles speculating about a White House run and his appearances at forums where likely presidential candidates would go, he is not running for president.

And in an interview with former CBS News anchor Dan Rather, who now hosts a show on the cable channel HDnet, he offered a more believable denial. What likely candidate would say this?

"Nobody's going to elect me president of the United States," he told Rather. "What I'd like to do is to be able to influence the dialogue. I'm a citizen."

Others, like Duncan Hunter, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel who also have little chance of being elected president are trying to influence the dialogue as well--but they're doing in onstage at candidate debates.

But with his billions of dollars, Bloomberg, unlike those others, could bombard the airwaves with enough ads next summer to make Americans hardly remember he ever said he wasn't running or couldn't win.

--Perry Bacon Jr.