Walk, Don't Run

To the Editor:

What kind of a game is Mayor Mike Bloomberg playing these days? He denies he's testing the waters for a presidential run, but clearly this extremely ambitious and super-rich man would jump in if he thought he had any chance of pulling out a victory.

His recent trip to Oklahoma with Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb), a potential running mate, was obviously a public relations move to put his face in the public eye just in case a presidential run becomes a realistic possibility.

Is Bloomberg qualified to become President? Well, what has Bloomberg really done for New York City, where he's held his only political post? The best that can be said is that he hasn't screwed up too badly as Mayor. He's kept the ship running. He's no charismatic leader; he's a businessman and a good one. However, Barack Obama's dramatic early success in the primaries shows that he is a much more attractive candidate than Bloomberg, the Democrat in red.

Obama has proven that the public desperately wants JFK-style youth, optimism and excitement. We want a risk-taker. We want a little James Bond, whether stirred or shaken, and color doesn't matter. Rich, boring businessmen need not apply.

Sorry, Bloomy, but term limits are here to stay. Go back to business. Hasta la vista, baby!

MICHAEL J. GORMAN

Editor's note: The writer is a retired NYPD Lieutenant and an attorney.