Last chance to bribe McCain

McCain-Feingold who?

"But this victory ought to allow John McCain to raise a lot of money in a hurry from people who see the train leaving the station and want to get on board," GOP consultant Whit Ayres said, just after the Florida primary.

Bloomberg for Vice

While most everyone likes Mike, the idea of a billionaire buying his way into office-- or even contention-- is unsettling in a democracy. Since Mayor Bloomberg has at least held public office, his self-financed candidacy would not be as wacky as Ross Perot's, to say nothing of the absurdist contentions of Steve "the inheritor" Forbes.

But still. It would be better if Bloomberg could help someone else gain the presidency. It would be less vain, and would acknowledge that Bloomberg, despite his mayoralty, has relatively little experience in public life. Campaign finance laws make it hard for billionaires to finance others, but there is a way.

Bloomberg should run for vice president and draft Al Gore for the top of the ticket. Mike and Al are sympatico on the issues-- Bloomberg empahasizes global warming. He could free Gore from the drudgery of fundraising and the need to compete in primaries. Meanwhile Bloomberg would not seem like an egomaniac. Since he would be on the ticket, he could pay for the whole thing. And after servinge as vice president, Bloomberg would be a credible candidate--indded the front-runner-- for the presidency following Gore. Moreover, a Gore-Bloomberg ticket could actually win.