New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg sure has a knack for inviting speculation wherever he goes.

Now that he's no longer flirting with the idea of running for president, or posing as a potential running mate, or eyeing a third mayoral term, his denials have sent reporters searching for other ways to inject Bloomberg into the 2008 presidential mix.

The Big Apple's mayor chose Tax Day to visit Washington -- as did Pope Benedict XVI -- and during a photo-op in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, a reporter asked Bloomberg if he was trying to persuade Pelosi to get the Democrats to move their party's convention this summer from Denver to New York.

Without missing a beat, Pelosi answered for him: "It's a little late for that."

Bloomberg and Pelosi talked about the economy, 9/11 health care legislation and Medicaid, among other things.

But Bloomberg's real mission in Washington was to push for tougher gun-control laws and - yes -- in the context of the 2008 presidential election. Bloomberg's coalition, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, reached an agreement Monday with Wal-Mart, the country's No. 1 seller of guns, to more closely track firearms sales.

By Mary Ann Akers  |  April 15, 2008; 5:50 PM ET
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