Third termers

New rumors appear in this morning's New York Times suggesting that Mayor Michael Bloomberg is ruminating a third mayoral term. Currently he and 36 members of the New York City Council are term-limited from seeking re-election, with Speaker Christine Quinn being one of them.

The mayor has been an opponent of a term limits repeal, vetoing a bill a few years ago, but as the article says, the prospect of a third term could keep his political clout from declining. A repeal could find some friendly support in city government, too. Surely Quinn doesn't want her sun to set on a sour note. Another term could be just what Quinn for Mayor '09 '13 needs.

Elsewhere, outgoing Russian President Vladmir Putin has been offered the helm of the majority United Russia party, which will expand his powers from the Prime Ministership, and possibly set the stage for his return to the presidency for a third term at a future date.

Quinn '09 really, really dead

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn held a press conference yesterday to announce her plan to provide more transparency to the council's dispensation of funds. Revelations that Quinn's office assigned money to fictitious groups so it could later go elsewhere sans oversight has seriously damaged her 2009 mayoral hopes.

The Friday event was meant to get the plan out there to provide swift* action without keeping the story alive, but it was not meant to be. The lede went to news that Quinn has hired a criminal defense lawyer at taxpayer expense(!) to represent her during the investigations of these questionable spending practices.

*Swift-ish.... It's been well over a week since the scandal broke.