Seasons Greetings, Mayor Mike.
What a year 2010 has been, huh? But let's not talk about the Ground Zero mosque. We all make mistakes.
'Tis the season to look forward -- and to wish you a Happy New Year and good luck in your job search.
It won't be easy. The job market is tough for big-spending liberals, but at least you're not alone.
After you publicly blasted President Obama the other day and told him to get some new advisers, one of your aides cheerily insisted your comments were made in the spirit of helping the president succeed.
In that case, I hope you won't mind a little friendly advice yourself, given in the spirit of helping you succeed.
Here goes:
Drop the act. You're not fooling anybody with the transparent claims that you don't have your eye on the White House.
You do -- it's your "wandering eye," as one of your friends tells me -- and your denials diminish you.
Everybody around you knows you're bored, and there is not another politician in America who believes you aren't serious about running.
The denials are especially weak given that you followed the same playbook in 2007 and 2008. You won re-election in 2005 insisting you were content at City Hall, then immediately unleashed your "Find Mike Another Job" team.
Then, as now, you showed a sudden interest in national issues and a willingness to sit for friendly interviews with national publications.
In the end, you couldn't pull the trigger, and sat out the last race. Oh, there was that one weird last-minute gambit.
When it was clear there was no room at the inn for a third-party candidate, there suddenly appeared odd testimonials that you'd make a great vice president for either Barack Obama or John McCain. That turkey wouldn't fly -- losing out to Joe Biden and Sarah Palin had to hurt -- but the effort served to confirm two things.
One, your eagerness to go to Washington. Two, your principles are flexible -- you'll go with either party that will have you.
It is said there are only two cures for the presidential itch -- death or election.
So here we are, déjà vu all over again. You swear you have no interest in running, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a campaign. I hear you're ready to spend $1.5 billion this time, up from the $1 billion you were ready to spend in 2008.
Let's be honest. That's my advice. Be honest.
Three times New Yorkers have put their trust in you, and they deserve the truth. My hunch is they won't like it at first if you tell them you're exploring a run, but most still have a warm spot for you and they'll come around.
Besides, you'll need them to have your back if you do take the plunge. It wouldn't help your chances if voters across America are constantly reminded that the hometown folk are down on you.
Your jumping in would also get the conversation going about who will succeed you. It's shaping up as wide field, but not a deep one, with all the usual Democratic suspects lining up.
Personally, I'm going for the one who promises to bulldoze the bike lanes on Day One.
There you have it, friendly advice to help you succeed. Be brave, be honest and go for it.
Run, Mike, Run.
Ho, ho, ho.
Michael Goodwin is a New York Post columnist and a Fox News contributor. To continue reading his column, click here.
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