This feature appears in the March ‘16 issue of NRA America’s 1st Freedom, one of the official journals of the National Rifle Association.
If unbridled arrogance, endless hypocrisy, tons of money and an ego the size of New York City are important to becoming president of the United States, Michael Bloomberg might just be the next occupant of the White House.
Reports from The New York Times indicate that the billionaire gun-ban advocate and former NYC mayor is considering throwing his hat into the presidential ring.“… I’d say his denials of interest in the presidency, no matter how firm and definitive, should be taken with a huge grain of salt,” Louis wrote.
According to the Times, Bloomberg, who spends millions of his own dollars each year to push for more restrictive gun laws throughout the nation, commissioned a poll late last year testing how he would fare against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Shortly thereafter, he met with President Barack Obama during his preparation of anti-gun executive orders, which were announced in January.
As CNN’s Political Commentator Errol Louis reported, of equal importance to commissioning the study was the fact that the “secret” survey was widely leaked and quickly became a national news story.
“After more than a decade of covering, interviewing and occasionally dining with Bloomberg, I’d say his denials of interest in the presidency, no matter how firm and definitive, should be taken with a huge grain of salt,” Louis wrote. “I once saw Bloomberg and one of his top political aides, Kevin Sheekey, at a press conference in front of the West Wing shortly after the mayor met with President Obama to talk about education policy. When the press conference was over, you could see both men pause and look at the building covetously, almost hungrily.”
Whether or not Bloomberg decides to run for president, one thing is clear—a vote for him or Clinton (or Bernie Sanders or Martin O’Malley, for that matter) is a vote that says you care little about your right to keep and bear arms.
