New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is in the Twin Cities today for two events -- one political and the other nonpartisan.
Bloomberg spoke this morning at a breakfast gathering of the Independence Party of Minnesota. About 100 people, paying a suggested $100 donation, heard him call for an end to public financing of primary elections that leave independent voters "out in the cold."
He did not, however, make the sort of news that political observers had expected, in the form of a quasi-endorsement of Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Instead, he offered qualified praise for both McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.
"We are lucky this year -- we have two candidates who I think have shown on at least some issues they are capable of thinking and acting independently of the special interests," said Bloomberg, an Independent who has previously been a Democrat and then a Republican.
He praised Obama for his stands on gun control and maintaining the federal gasoline tax. He said McCain has "buck[ed] the ideologues and party leaders on immigration, campaign finance reform and global warming."
Speaking afterward to reporters, he said he hasn't yet decided which man -- if either -- he will ultimately endorse, or even whether he will publicly declare his decision.
Asked whether he is leaning toward either candidate, Bloomberg said he's "leaning toward getting back to New York today."
