Bloomberg: I Am Not a Candidate

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg today shot down lingering speculation that he’ll attempt an independent bid for the presidency. “I am not a candidate,” he said on NBC's "Today Show." “I’m not going to be a candidate. I’m going to be mayor.” Chatter resumed about a Bloomberg run when he decided to attend a Jan. 7 anti-partisanship forum, Reuters reports.

But while the mayor won’t be running, he had plenty of criticisms of the people who are. He complained candidates in both parties weren’t addressing world hunger or genocide, and called their immigration plans xenophobic. He advocated a less-partisan independent approach. “Don't say, 'OK, Bloomberg's criticizing A, B or C on either side,’” he said, “It’s all of them.” (More Michael Bloomberg stories.)