Smug update!

In a too-rare-to-be-too-smug didn’t-we-tell-ya-so-style update, it appears that Mayor Bloomberg has confirmed his attendance at the US/NI Investment conference.

Staff at Bobballs are pleased to see their crystal-ball gazing skills are still in perfect working order. Mama Maleva Bobballs (left) would be proud, god rest her.

This is the moment when we know that Bloomberg is a candidate.

As staff at Bobballs blogged previously on January 20:

As staff at Bobballs have blogged previously, Bloomberg could provide alot of answers. Has a team been detailed by the Executive to chase him up?

Let’s not lack imagination, let’s have forward planning and a full spectrum of ideas/proposals. We trust that with Stormont back some answers will soon be forthcoming.

Because as long ago as January 7, staff here blogged:

So Michael Bloomberg is still allowing his name to be linked into the race, he comes in May, spreads a little money about, hooks up with Bertie & Gordon etc, does his statesman act, shows how well he works alongside senior White House officials, and goes back home having contributed to peace building in one of the world's most enduring and intractable conflicts, and having appealed to Irish America finally declares his candidacy?

Is it too incredible? Can Northern Ireland have a role to play in the presidential election? Will Northern Ireland become part of the stump for the US presidential election? Without a primary programme, an independent candidate must forge his own agenda.

Sure, we could get Bill Clinton in March (though not likely, surely). But a bona fide candidate? It's a tantalising prospect...

Two months on we’re sticking to our guns on this one. Can a generous windfall both in NI and RoI help grease billionaire Bloomberg’s path into the parlours of organisations like the Irish National Caucus?

Also, if he goes for it, staff at Bobballs feel this is the last straw for New York senator Hillary Clinton. Democrat super delegates will want to annoint that party's greatest hope of a win in November. With Nader already in, a little knuckle of the Democrat body politic gets swiped. With Bloomberg, Hills gets ravaged. Mayor Bloomberg's liberal opposition to her Reagan coalition line gives him profile and definition. It'll kill her in the general election. Less so for Obama, in the humble opinion of Bobballs.

Ah, such far-reaching implications from such events that pass through our little Northern Ireland.

[PS. Expect more Smug updates! if I’m right to call Bloomberg's candidacy and the strange and unusual demise of Hillary Clinton, and the stoney silence of Mama Maleva’s grave if I’m not... ]