New York Mayor Bloomberg Blasts “Whisper Campaign” About Obama

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been the subject of considerable speculation this year. First, the question was “Will he or won’t he launch an independent bid for President?” The answer: No. Next, some wondered whether he’d run as Veep on a ticket headed by Democratic presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama. The answer: Highly unlikely.

But Bloomberg has now bitten the bullet and entered the presidential rhetorical political arena making it clear in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t like the rumor campaign being spread about Obama. The New York Times:

Injecting himself directly into the presidential campaign and speaking before one of its most crucial constituencies, Jewish voters, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Friday morning forcefully rejected what he called a “whisper campaign” in the Jewish community linking Senator Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, to Islam.

Mr. Bloomberg, who has been occasionally mentioned as a potential running mate for both Mr. Obama and Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, told an audience of Jewish residents here that rumors that Mr. Obama is a Muslim represent “wedge politics at its worst, and we have to reject it loudly, clearly and unequivocally.”

He added, “Let’s call those rumors what they are: lies.”

You can’t get as blunt and TV sound bite friendly as that…

But he didn’t stop there. He let ‘er rip by articulating what many Americans know when they read demonizing attacks on either Obama or McCain: exaggeration, demonization and taking things out of context is the political game which may not work with some voters — but still works for others.

Mr. Bloomberg, who is Jewish, said the worries about the faith of Mr. Obama, who is Christian, “are cloaked in concern for Israel, but the real concern is about partisan politics.”
“Israel is just being used as a pawn, which is not that surprising, since some people are willing to stop to any level to win an election.”

Next time, Mr. Bloomberg, tell us what you REALLY think…

SOMETHING TO WATCH: It appears as if it could boil down to Connecticut Independent Senator Joe Lieberman trying to win over Jewish voters for McCain, and Bloomberg working to win over Jewish voters for Obama.