BYE-BYE, PRESIDENT-WANNABE BLOOMBERG

Kevin Sheekey, the guy who's known at Bloomberg's City Hall as the "deputy mayor for running for president," has said "he will urge the mayor to run [translation: Bloomberg will run after pretending to be urged] if 70% of Americans are convinced the country is on the wrong track and 40% have an unfavorable view of the Democratic and Republican candidates." McCain, alas for Bloomberg (and alas for the rest of us) is at 27% unfavorable (Rasmussen) and 29% or 30% unfavorable (CNN/USA Today/Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, CNN/Opinion Research).

Bloomie and his little claque might decide to rewrite their own rules just because the mayor's ego won't be satisfied with anything less than a run, but I don't see it. They could say, for instance, that on Iraq McCain is polarizing -- which would be a public service. Of course, what he'd say is that McCain and Clinton/Obama are polarizing, which wouldn't be much help. But I think Bloomberg will declare victory (the Republicans have nominated a non-polarizing maverick!) and remain neutral, angling for a Cabinet position from whoever wins in November.