Michael Barbaro of the NYT’s Political Caucus blog brings the news that GOP presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney had a meeting recently with everyone’s favorite little know-it-all, Michael Bloomberg. “The pursuit of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s presidential endorsement is headed into overdrive.” Really? Is the Romney camp’s calculation of his chances against the President in a place where an endorsement from one of the great petty political tyrants of our time a balance-tipper? If so, you may want to hold onto that campaign contribution check . . .
Both parties appear to covet Hizzoner’s blessing…for some reason.
The (Romney) meeting came just a few days after Mr. Bloomberg met with two members of the Obama administration — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, according to people close to the mayor.
Mr. Bloomberg played golf with the vice president on Friday in the Washington, D.C. area, and then played again with Mr. Panetta on on Saturday.
It’s hard to believe endorsements – whether they come from dead tree editorial pages, union bosses or machine politicians – really sway anyone’s vote any more. Electoral politics would seem to have moved beyond that, but that’s why they pay ridiculous amounts to pollsters and consultants.
You have to wonder, though, if Romney or his advisers have considered how cozying up to the Mad Maven of MAIG will be seen by the already less-than-comfortable core constituency to the candidate’s right? Sure, the guy has billions, but gun owners were just starting to get themselves comfortable with the idea that they really do need to hold their noses and pull the ‘R’ lever no matter what the Mittster signed into law when he was running the Bay State. News that he’s playing a spirited game of footsie with someone like Bloomy could keep an awful lot of them at the range rather than in polling places in November.
And then there’s this shudder-inducing thought: What if the overture by Romney’s not a plea on bended knee for Mike’s endorsement (not to mention a hefty campaign contribution), but a preliminary step in the VP vetting process? Maybe it’s not too late to get into Ruger shares after all. [h/t instapundit.com]