Yesterday firebrand Rep. Anthony Weiner made it all but official that he intends to run for mayor of New York City in 2013. Weiner ran for mayor in 2009 but dropped out early after Michael Bloomberg announced his intent to pursue a third term.
“I have a passing interest in the management of New York,” Weiner said in one of his many asides during a much-hyped speech about health care reform – a favorite of liberals. “Hey, newsflash, I’m interested,” added Weiner, who ran in 2005 and was chased away by Mayor Bloomberg’s bankroll in 2009. “It would be exceedingly coy of me, especially in this town, to present that I’m not interested in being mayor,” he added.
It’s expected that both Clintons will be powerful allies in Weiner’s campaign. Last summer Bill Clinton officiated at Weiner’s wedding to Hillary’s top aide, Huma Abedin. Weiner’s strongest challenger will likely be openly gay City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who herself might be mayor today had her boss not decided that term limits were only for the little people.
RELATED: Bloomberg spent a record-shattering $102M of his own money in 2009, an eye-bugging $174 per vote, but still only won by five points despite the relatively pitiful $8M spent by his Democratic opponent. That’s how pissed people were about his upending of term limits.