Bloomberg's Dream Choices for Next Mayor: Schumer, Hillary?

With New York City's mayoral election coming this year, eyes are on City Council speaker Christine Quinn as Michael Bloomberg's preferred successor. But the New York Times runs through a few less-likely names being tossed about with various levels of seriousness by Bloomberg's advisers. Among them: Hillary Clinton, whom Bloomberg last year urged to run; Sen. Charles Schumer; billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman; Bloomberg's own former deputy Edward Skyler; and former Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell.

"The mayor believes he is special," Rendell tells the Times. "He wanted somebody at a very high level to come in to do a job he has often said to me ... is the second most difficult job in the country." But none of the dream contenders has plans to run. Rendell notes that he's unfamiliar with much of the city; Schumer appears to have little interest in executive office; and Zuckerman says Bloomberg was "teasing" him. Any nominee will face a tough challenge from former MTA boss Joseph Lhota—and perhaps police commissioner Raymond Kelly. (More Michael Bloomberg stories.)