white men with money

Buffett Wants Bloomberg for National Economy Czar, ‘News’ Wants Him for Mayor, Again

On Meet the Press yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg indicated that he’d be open to taking on a nonpartisan national economics czar position should one be created. The idea for such a post (and the suggestion of Bloomberg for the role) came from billionaire Warren Buffett, who thinks a new federal agency should be formed to manage the nearly $700 billion debt the government aims to buy from flailing financial institutions. When Tom Brokaw asked Bloomberg about the notion yesterday, Hizzoner replied: “Number one, I’d do anything that the country asked me to do, but I do have a job in New York.” (Brokaw later asked Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson about the idea, and Paulson avoided answering.)

Speaking of Bloomberg’s “job in New York,” the mayor got an endorsement today from the Daily News editorial board. You may be thinking, “But he’s not running for anything!” Exactly. In an editorial entitled “Run, Mike, Run,” the News writers proclaim: “Michael Bloomberg must stand for reelection to a third term as mayor in 2009.” They argue that voters should have the option to choose between the best possible candidates to tackle the city’s financial troubles — and any such list has Mayor Bloomberg’s name right at the top. (In this week’s New York, Chris Smith outlines how and why Bloomberg could make a third term happen.)

Wow, last week Bloomberg found out he was one of the top ten richest Americans, and this week everybody wants to give him more power? Right now he might just be the only happy financier in all of New York.

Mayor Suggests Openness to Federal Post [NYS]
Run, Mike, Run [NYDN]
Bullish for Bloomberg [NYM]

Buffett Wants Bloomberg for National Economy Czar, ‘News’ Wants Him for Mayor, Again