http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BB0VI20101212Bloomberg says will not run for president
Credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
WASHINGTON | Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:28am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday, "no way, no how" will he run for the U.S. presidency.
Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Bloomberg said he intends to remain focused on being mayor, and that those urging him to seek the presidency "should cease and desist."
"The bottom line is that I've great job," Bloomberg said. "I want to go out being, having a reputation, as a very good, maybe the greatest mayor ever."
"I'm not going to run for president," Bloomberg said.
But he said he will continue to speak out on national issues that impact New York, such as immigration, federal regulation and U.S. trade.
A multibillionaire and founder of the Bloomberg news media empire, Bloomberg is a former Democrat turned Republican turned independent. He is in his third term as mayor of New York.
While some of Bloomberg's backers have urged him to run, Bloomberg attributed talk of a White House bid to the news media.
"Most of this is just because the press wants something to write about," Bloomberg said.
(Reporting by Thomas Ferraro; editing Doina Chiacu)