Friedman Floats Scarborough-Bloomberg Third-Party Ticket

September 13th, 2011 10:03 AM

Joe Scarborough and Mike Bloomberg for president and veep? Yeah, that's the ticket—according to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who floated the idea during his Morning Joe appearance today.  

Friedman foresaw Scarborough-Bloomberg running on a platform of Simpson-Bowles on the economy, an "investment agenda" [infrastructure spending], and getting out of Afghanistan ASAP.  "I would bet any amount of money," forecast Friedman, that such a ticket would immediately have a "significant, significant" position.  Video after the jump.


Friedman observed that at one point during the 1992 campaign Ross Perot had 40% of the vote, despite being "crazy."

 

THOMAS FRIEDMAN: Well Mika what we're basically arguing is that we need a hybrid politics right now, which does not correspond to the agendas of either party. We need to cut spending. We need to raise revenue. And we need to invest in our formula for success . . . If we had a third-party right now--let's imagine we had a third party led by Joe Scarborough --

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Oh my God.  That's an asterisk by the way in any poll. But go ahead.

FRIEDMAN: Joe Scarborough, and Mayor Bloomberg of New York City, running together, OK, in the center.  And their position was Simpson-Bowles on the economy, plus and investment agenda, plus drawing down in Afghanistan as quickly as possible.  I would bet any amount of money, OK, that tomorrow they have a significant, significant position out there. And only when they have that position will the other parties stop appealing to the base and say, whoah!