Group Looks to Draft Michael Bloomberg for 2012

Mayors of New York have not done well when they run for the presidency -- ask John Lindsey, Rudy Giuliani and DeWitt Clinton. Come to think of it, the only New York City resident to sit in the White House was Chester A. Arthur and he got there because James A. Garfield was assassinated ( Teddy Roosevelt was always a bit more Long Island than Manhattan and came to the presidency when William McKinley was assassinated).

Thats not stopping Green Party activists in Virginia from launching an effort to draft current Mayor Michael Bloomberg who left the Republicans to continue his political career without party affiliation. Unlike some other politicians who have done that -- from Gov. Charlie Crist to U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado -- Bloomberg actually has the personal fortune to finance his own bid.

This is a grass-roots effort to convince Mr. Bloomberg to lead in creating America's third major party, said Gail Parker who is helping organize the effort. Bring together independents, the Independence parties and the various Green parties."

The group already has a website and will be holding a press event in Washington on Thursday to kickoff their draft effort. Bloomberg has shown little interest in making a presidential bid.