'THE STRIPTEASE' ?

The Trail

Friday, January 18, 2008; Page A08
'THE STRIPTEASE'?

Non-Candidate Bloomberg Keeps Observers Interested

NEW YORK -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg continues to insist he is not a candidate for president, but these days his every word, his moves and his travel schedule are being dissected and parsed like a Talmudic text.

This week, it was reported that Bloomberg entrusted the management of his multibillion-dollar personal fortune to a friend, financier Steven Rattner of the Quadrangle Group. The selection raised eyebrows in New York because Rattner is a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton. Rattner contributed the maximum of $4,600 to Clinton's campaign and has hosted a series of events for the New York senator.

But the decision, allowed by the City Conflicts of Interest Board, stirred interest for another reason: Having a high-powered financier in charge of his investments allows Bloomberg to expand his wealth, and possibly free up money for a self-financed, independent presidential run.

Also this week, City Hall announced that Bloomberg would be traveling this weekend to Texas and California -- both vote-rich states that the mayor might be targeting if he is trying to assemble the 270 electoral votes needed to forge a victory in November.

In Texas, Bloomberg will be meeting with Lance Armstrong, a former Tour de France cycling champion and a cancer survivor, and with Richard Carmona, a former U.S. surgeon general. Bloomberg then heads to California for an announcement in Los Angeles about infrastructure projects with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And Thursday was Bloomberg's annual State of the City speech. There was the typical laundry list of issues -- 500 more beds for the homeless, improving the food quality in city hospitals and senior care facilities, coordinating government computers. But at a time when the city is facing reduced revenues, with the end of the real estate boom and a bear market on Wall Street, what stood out was Bloomberg's pledge to reduce spending and follow through on a promised property tax rebate to all homeowners, steps that solidify his reputation as a sound fiscal manager.

"It's all part of the striptease -- show 'em a little, then take it away," said Douglas Muzzio, a professor of political science at the City University of New York's Baruch College. ". . . He's promising tax relief and spending cuts. It all seems part of the laying of the groundwork and keeping his options open."

Despite his denials, Bloomberg has continued to fuel speculation about a possible presidential run, flying to Oklahoma on the eve of the New Hampshire primary to attend a forum on bipartisanship and then paying pollster Douglas Schoen millions to assess the feasibility of a presidential run and his chances of winning.

"Bloomberg is putting everything together in order to be a candidate if everything falls his way," said George Arzt, a Democratic political consultant not affiliated with any candidate. "He certainly has ambitions for the presidency -- there's no doubt in my mind."

-- Keith B. Richburg