NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who insists he is not running for president, has relaunched the Web site he used for his mayoral campaigns in 2001 and 2005, mikebloomberg.com.
“This site will help you learn more about the issues important to me and the causes I've supported in business, philanthropy and public life,” it says.
The home page features links that describe his work on issues such as education, health care, gun control and the environment. The language uses broad descriptions that might appeal to a national audience and introduces him on each page as plain old Mike Bloomberg instead of using his title of mayor.
“Mike Bloomberg believes that a good education is the key to unlocking the American Dream for all of our children,” begins the education page.
A section on “Mike Bloomberg in the News” contains links to various stories about the Republican billionaire, including many that speculate about him entering the 2008 race as a self-financed independent.
While he has publicly denied those rumors for more than a year, he has not sought to quiet the buzz and admits he benefits from it.
Columbia University politics professor Steven Cohen cautioned against overinterpreting the Web site.
“It certainly never hurts to have people talk about you, because otherwise you're just another lame duck term-limited public official,” Cohen said. “It keeps you current and enhances your position, and I'm sure that's part of what's going on here, but it also keeps open your options.”
When Bloomberg is asked whether he is running, his answers vary from a definite “no” to a vague “most likely” not, sometimes all within the same press conference. His latest answer about 2008 came during a breakfast Wednesday morning hosted by Ladies' Home Journal magazine, which features an article in its June issue about his fight against illegal guns.
At the event, Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said stopping gun violence should be a priority for presidential candidates.
“And I keep telling people if we don't get folks that speak up, then we need to run Mayor Bloomberg for president,” he said.
The mayor chuckled and said: “Not at all.” He then joked that his police commissioner, Ray Kelly, should run instead.
Later, after the Web site was launched, Bloomberg's spokesman Stu Loeser insisted again that the mayor is not running for president.
But the city's official Web site already has an extensive section on the mayor that tracks all of his activities.
When asked why that site does not suffice, Loeser said the mayor “wanted a single place where he could talk about himself.”
He added that it would not be appropriate for the mayor to talk about his philanthropy and other passions on the city Web site.
He pointed out that other politicians, such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have maintained their campaign Web sites while in office.
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, maintains a separate site featuring such trivia as the former bodybuilder's measurements at the peak of his career.
The home page features links that describe his work on issues such as education, health care, gun control and the environment. The language uses broad descriptions that might appeal to a national audience and introduces him on each page as plain old Mike Bloomberg instead of using his title of mayor.
“Mike Bloomberg believes that a good education is the key to unlocking the American Dream for all of our children,” begins the education page.
A section on “Mike Bloomberg in the News” contains links to various stories about the Republican billionaire, including many that speculate about him entering the 2008 race as a self-financed independent.
While he has publicly denied those rumors for more than a year, he has not sought to quiet the buzz and admits he benefits from it.
Columbia University politics professor Steven Cohen cautioned against overinterpreting the Web site.
“It certainly never hurts to have people talk about you, because otherwise you're just another lame duck term-limited public official,” Cohen said. “It keeps you current and enhances your position, and I'm sure that's part of what's going on here, but it also keeps open your options.”
When Bloomberg is asked whether he is running, his answers vary from a definite “no” to a vague “most likely” not, sometimes all within the same press conference. His latest answer about 2008 came during a breakfast Wednesday morning hosted by Ladies' Home Journal magazine, which features an article in its June issue about his fight against illegal guns.
At the event, Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said stopping gun violence should be a priority for presidential candidates.
“And I keep telling people if we don't get folks that speak up, then we need to run Mayor Bloomberg for president,” he said.
The mayor chuckled and said: “Not at all.” He then joked that his police commissioner, Ray Kelly, should run instead.
Later, after the Web site was launched, Bloomberg's spokesman Stu Loeser insisted again that the mayor is not running for president.
But the city's official Web site already has an extensive section on the mayor that tracks all of his activities.
When asked why that site does not suffice, Loeser said the mayor “wanted a single place where he could talk about himself.”
He added that it would not be appropriate for the mayor to talk about his philanthropy and other passions on the city Web site.
He pointed out that other politicians, such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have maintained their campaign Web sites while in office.
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, maintains a separate site featuring such trivia as the former bodybuilder's measurements at the peak of his career.
The Citizens' Say
There are 3 comment(s)
P.Keenan wrote on Jun 3, 2007 12:06 PM:
Joseph O wrote on May 11, 2007 12:42 PM:
AK Tylor wrote on May 11, 2007 12:06 PM: