Mayor fuels talk of joining '08 race

Mayor fuels talk of joining '08 race
January 8, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg turned up the volume yesterday on a possible independent bid for president, arguing that partisanship is limiting the nation's progress at a summit of Republicans and Democrats.

Amid talk about Washington riven by partisanship, Bloomberg gathered with some elected officials, and others out of office for years, to discuss bridging the divide between the two parties.

The summit came on the eve of today's New Hampshire primary.

"People have stopped working together, government is dysfunctional, there's no collaborating and congeniality," Bloomberg said to applause from the crowd. "America is being held back," he said.

The panel had also included Republican US Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who is often mentioned as an ideal running mate for Bloomberg.

"Every one of us in this group this morning believes there are opportunities to turn things around for our country, our future, our children, the world," Hagel said.

A long line of people - students, political junkies, and Bloomberg backers - stretched down the street before the event began.

The multibillionaire mayor switched his party affiliation from Republican to independent last summer, increasing the political chatter about a potential third-party bid for the presidency.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paul supporters crash a rally for Huckabee

CONCORD, N.H - It was Mike Huckabee's party, but Ron Paul's supporters crashed it.

A group of about 30 Paul supporters surrounded an equal-sized Huckabee rally yesterday outside the Barley House, where the former Arkansas governor was making a brief appearance to celebrate the launch of a special "Huck-a-burger."

As soon as Huckabee's bus pulled up, the Paul supporters, all waving their own signs, began shouting "Tax Hike Mike!"

The Huckabee supporters, waving their own signs, tried to drown out the hecklers by instead shouting "We like Mike!"

Huckabee ignored the fans of the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman, grinning and shaking hands as he threaded his way through the crowd.

Several Paul supporters said they decided to take advantage of the many reporters accompanying Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses last Thursday, because they are frustrated at not receiving the same level of media coverage.

They were particularly incensed by Fox News Channel's refusal to let Paul participate in its GOP debate Sunday night.

"The reason we're so feisty is that we get blacked out in the media," said Paul supporter Adrian Thompson, 22, of Providence.

CHARLIE SAVAGE