Another asshole considering a Senate run in NY: Mort Zuckerman

[cali]

Zuckerman Said to Mull Run for U.S. Senate
By MICHAEL BARBARO and TIM ARANGO
Published: February 12, 2010



Mortimer B. Zuckerman, real estate tycoon and publisher of The Daily News, is considering a run for the Senate seat now held by Kirsten E. Gillibrand, according to two people told of the discussions. Mr. Zuckerman regards Ms. Gillibrand as vulnerable to a challenge and is convinced that, at a time of economic tumult and political unrest, his background as an outsider to government, and his record as a businessman, will appeal to the state’s electorate, these people said.

He would be the latest boldface name to weigh a run for the seat this fall; the former Tennessee congressman, Harold E. Ford Jr., is mulling a primary run against Ms. Gillibrand, a fellow Democrat, and will make a decision in the next few weeks.

The discussions were preliminary, the two people cautioned, with many details of a possible candidacy yet to be worked out. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were meant to be private and Mr. Zuckerman has not made up his mind.

Mr. Zuckerman is considering commissioning a poll to test the viability of a candidacy, one of the people said.

Ken Frydman, a spokesman for Mr. Zuckerman, declined to comment on any discussions the media mogul may have had about a senate run, or any plans to conduct a poll. He said Mr. Zuckerman was unavailable for comment on Friday afternoon. In a statement, Mr Frydman said: "Mr.Zuckerman is not interested in running for public office."

.

Mr. Zuckerman, 72, is known as a Democrat, , but if he runs, it would likely be as a Republican or independent, to avoid participating in a costly primary.

In doing so, Mr. Zuckerman would be following the path of his close friend and fellow media executive, Michael R. Bloomberg, who switched his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican to run for mayor of New York City.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/nyregion/13mort.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1266012158-UTjmZT4hfzSoxI49oSZoYQ

[mdmc]

1. I wonder what his party affiliation is

if he is a dem he will need permission from the GOP to run on their line..
I hope he runs as a blank..

[cali]

3. he's a dem but the article says he'd probably switch to puke or run as an independent

some dem.

[mdmc]

5. In NYS, his affiliation would change after the next general election

so it would be too late for him to run as a puke (he could always run with the parties permission, but that would require no other republicans wanting it for themselves)..

[Mike 03]

2. Another tragic fact I had no clue about, and thank you for locating and publishing this here. NT

Plus another heart. I have so many, so few friends here, and you deserve so many of them.

[monmouth]

4. Me neither. Never heard of that little fact. I don't think he'd do too

well but....money does talk..

[Mike 03]

6. Cali, it's been so long since I have been here, I have forgotten how to write to you directly,

but I just want to say: Never Change. You are an amazing human being who calls it like it is, and Thank You for being here.

[arthritisR_US]

7. I can't stand him. He's as much of a Democrat as Leiberman is. IMHO :-) n/t

[sharesunited]

8. Why you don't like Mort Zuckerman? Is it because he is rich? A Zionist? A Canadian?

He called the crash perfectly, and he gets seated next to Eleanor Clift on The McLaughlin Group.

So what exactly is his unforgivable flaw?

[provis99]

9. his flaw is that he's a republican, though registered as a Democrat.

ie he's another Michael Bloomberg/Rudy Giuliani type of politician.

[FarCenter]

10. At 72 he's too old

Any reason to think that he'd be more effective than the nearly invisible Senator Lautenberg, D - NJ.