"..a certifiably sane version of Ross Perot..

I s'pose that's not a bad start for a prospective Presidential aspirant.

I know little of NYCity's mayor, but am willing to take a closer look.

Here's a quick peek to get me started.

[From the Philadelphia Inquirer . . .]

Which brings us to Bloomberg, who has already spent months war-gaming a possible candidacy. He happens to have the requisite chops for the role: a bipartisan track record (former Democrat who wins in NYC as a Republican; knocks heads across party lines; strong managerial steward in a tough city); a healthy ego (he wrote in his autobiography 10 years ago that he wants to "change the world for the better"); and enough personal wealth to bankroll a national bid without badly denting his bottom line (a serious independent candidacy, including a 50-state ballot access effort, would cost half a billion bucks - but he is reportedly worth as much as $20 billion).

And there's one more tantalizing factor. As Howard Dean demonstrated in 2003, the Internet can spread the word 24/7 and create a fan base overnight. Indeed, the Bloomberg people already have a potential Internet vehicle. Reportedly, they have been talking with the founders of Unity08 (http:www.unity08.com), a new grassroots operation that plans to nominate a centrist presidential ticket in an online citizen convention, scheduled for June '08, and to help that ticket navigate the ballot-access hurdles.