I'll see your Thompson and raise you a Bloomberg

The '08 campaign malaise that the pundits have been promising for months appears to have arrived. Obama can't knock that sense of entitlement smirk off Hillary's face and GOP broken leg warhorse McCain will be lunching with his historical bridesmaid doppelgängers Dewey, Goldwater and Humphrey when he takes up residence in heaven. It's beginning to get sad.

Apparently one of the symptoms of this malaise manifested itself in the adoration of one Fred Thompson. This brings to mind the classic Ancient Mariner quote: “Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink”. The Republican base is so desperate and indifferent to the current cast of phalluses that they'll drink in this actor/lobbyist/shill much to their peril. The Democrats reek of the same desperation except they'll hold off from drinking salt water because they see fresh water in the form of Al Gore on the horizon.

Add one more savior-to-be to the list: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In a recent appearance at the Google campus he let loose on Washington D.C. and did not mince words concerning the state of the union. “Really in trouble" is how he sees the US and its perception abroad. And who can disagree? Well, apparently 19% according to the latest poll, but then again those people are just plain giddy right now since the Creation Museum opened. Bloomberg is starting to be looked at very closely by the media and so far they like what they see. He's a self-made billionaire, doesn't give a rat's ass about Washington and is socially liberal. Oh, and he's got an approval rating of 74% in one of the toughest and richest cities in the world that continues to strengthen.

We've dreamt of people who might do well in the Oval Office and make us feel like we'd have a better shot at the future (Kennedy, Cuomo, and Powell) only to be disappointed and left to vote for the lesser of evils. Bloomberg has an impressive private and public sector record that may be the fresh water educated centrist libertarians so crave. Could Bloomberg be a potential independent candidate? Possibly. Qualified? Undoubtedly.

Wait, I forgot about Evangelical Christians and the Electoral College. Forget everything I've just said.