Bloomberg runs for president in 2008

There was much talk of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg running for president in 2008 and to a lesser extent, 2012. This talk only intensified when Bloomberg switched his affiliation from Republican to Independent. So let's say Bloomberg decides to go all out and run for president in 2008, vowing to spend up to 1 billion of his own money. With those kind of resources, I assume he'd get on every ballot.


How does he do against Obama and McCain? I'm almost certain he couldn't win, but whom would he hurt more? I would think Republicans at first, but given some of his positions on gun control and the like, I think he could also appeal to some liberals. And given his strongest areas of support would probably be in the northeast, is there a chance he might be able to take enough support to allow McCain to sweep in and take some of those states, and with them, the election?

Is there a chance he gets in the debates?
 
I don't think he could get on every state ballot, because some of them are very restrictive. Anyhow, I think he'd do ok, maybe get 2-5% nationally. No electoral votes. It might make some states a bit closer than they were, but Obama still wins.
 
I say he wins New York and makes Obama lose Indiana and North Carolina as well Florida due to vote splitting. I think many moderate who might have voted Republican voted Obama and so are draw to Bloomberg. The Republicans who voted McCain wouldn't vote Bloomberg. If you give McCain Virginia as well there is no electoral college majority and things get interesting.
 
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