"Did Mayor Bloomberg win his third term because was the better candidate, or simply the richer?

Mayor Bloomberg's 2009 campaign spending of more than $102 million to win a third term shatters a record previously set by ... Mayor Bloomberg. The mayor - who has spent more of his own cash pursuing elected office than anyone in U.S. history - blazed through $18.7 million between Oct. 20 and Thursday, new figures show.

Bloomberg, whose worth has been pegged at $17 billion, prevailed by less than 5 percentage points despite wildly outspending city Controller William Thompson, who ran on private donations and public matching funds. The win cost Bloomberg about $174.53 per vote, much of it on his ubiquitous TV ads.

Thompson's official numbers come out Monday, but an aide said he spent about $8.3 million - or about $15.51 per vote. That would mean Bloomberg outspent Thompson by about 12 to 1.Bloomberg shelled out $74 million in 2001 and $85 million on his 2005 reelection."

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/1..._per_vote_.html

Just image what someone who's willing to spend $ 100 million of his own money to be Mayor of New York City would be willing to pay to become President of the United States. Mr. Bloomberg has talked in the past about running for President and with a net worth estimated at $ 17 Billion, he may yet be a force to be reckoned with in Washington, especially if Barack Obama stumbles and the Republicans go off the reservation with some kook like Sarah Palin.

Fiorella LaGuardia, Jimmy Walker, Robert Wagner, John Lindsay, among others, plus the whole Tammany Hall Machine... New York City has always had the best government money can buy.