Someone just asked me the following question: The assumption being made is that Mike Bloomberg tore up his GOP party card because he wants to run for Prez as an independent. Can you [i.e. me, Derb] think of any OTHER reason he might have done it?

Me [after a moment’s thought]: No.

She: How about preparing for a move to the Dems, in hopes of getting a White House call from a Dem prez in Jan. ‘09?

Me: Nah. He might actually stand a better chance of a cabinet post as a Republican. Incoming presidents like to tap one or two members of the other party http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Mineta for cabinet positions. Makes them look “inclusive,” “bipartisan,” etc. This would especially be the case with a President Obama, after all that talk about “healing,” “unifying,” etc. Of course, a Republican tapped by a Dem president would need to be some kind of RINO–but that’s exactly what Bloomberg is! And if he’d stayed a Republican, Bloomberg would’ve had a shot at a cabinet post in a GOP administration, too. Nope, don’t see it.

Assuming I’m right about all that, anyone got another answer to my friend’s original question?