International News

NEW YORK, (APP/AFP): Michael Bloomberg, the former New York
mayor and billionaire media owner, has stated for the first time that he is considering launching a White House bid this year.
The move would thoroughly upend a presidential race that has already
kicked into high gear, as Republicans and Democrats battle it out for prominence in Tuesday’s crucial New Hampshire primary.
Bloomberg, who mulled running in previous elections and has
criticized the quality of debate in the 2016 race, told the Financial Times he was “looking at all options” when asked whether he was considering throwing his hat in the ring.
“I find the level of discourse and discussion distressingly banal and an outrage and an insult to the voters,” he said, adding that Americans deserved “a lot better.”
The comments came after The New York Times reported last month that
Bloomberg had instructed advisers to draft plans for a potential independent
presidential bid that could see him spend at least $1 billion of his estimated $40 billion fortune.