Bloomberg: New status

New York, June 20 (Reuters): New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said today he was not a candidate for US President in 2008 despite speculation he quit the Republican party to prepare to run as an independent.

A day after announcing he was no longer a Republican, Bloomberg, 65, said that he intended to serve as mayor until the end of his term in 2009.

“I think they are wasting their time. I am not a candidate,” Bloomberg told reporters when asked about his name coming up in presidential opinion polls. “They should get down to polling on people who are candidates.”

“I have said that my intention is to be mayor for the next 925 days,” said the billionaire founder of financial data and media firm Bloomberg LP., insisting that remained his plan and he wanted to pursue more philanthropy when his term ended.

Bloomberg said yesterday he was leaving the Republican party to bring his affiliation into alignment with how he led the city. But with the November 2008 vote more than 16 months away, not all New Yorkers were taking Bloomberg at his word.

“I think he is going to run because of all the publicity that he has gained,” said Amin Abubakar, a Bronx resident.