Bloomberg Will Polish GOP Credentials

Mayor Bloomberg, who exited the Republican Party in June, is appearing alongside some of the most famous names in the GOP this week, introducing a former governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, at an awards luncheon today and hosting a fund-raiser tomorrow at his home for the Reagan Presidential Library that will be attended by Nancy Reagan.

Mr. Bush, who is receiving the Manhattan Institute's Urban Innovator Award at the Union Club today, and Mr. Bloomberg have teamed up on education issues in the past.

On October 30, Mr. Bush in an opinion piece published in the New York Post praised the mayor and Chancellor Joel Klein for their "historic transformation" of the city's schools. He highlighted the city's adoption of a school grading system, which was introduced in Florida in 1999.

The alliance could become more significant if Mr. Bloomberg runs for president as an independent in 2008. Florida is considered a key battleground state, and Mr. Bush left office in January with an approval rating of more than 60%. A professor of political science at Baruch College, Douglas Muzzio, said that while he couldn't envision a Bloomberg-Bush ticket in 2008, he did think Mr. Bush could wind up being a Cabinet member in a Bloomberg White House.

"Clearly, his association with Jeb Bush gives him credibility with Republicans," Mr. Muzzio said. "All of this can be seen as an attempt to give Bloomberg continued national exposure and keeping his options open for a national candidacy."

Messrs. Bloomberg and Bush differ in other policy arenas, including gun control. The National Rifle Association praised Mr. Bush in 2006 for signing into law what it described as six pro-gun and pro-hunting bills supported by the NRA and Unified Sportsmen of Florida.

Mr. Bloomberg has drawn the ire of the NRA for his nationwide campaign against illegal guns. The NRA depicted the mayor as a cartoon octopus on the cover of its magazine in April under a headline that read: "How NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg extends his reach and his illegal anti-gun tactics across America."