Bloomberg-Scarborough In 2012? Joe Says 'No'

In a piece for the Huffington Post Tuesday morning, Howard Fineman explored the possibility of an independent presidential ticket in 2012, with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg running for President and MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough as his running-mate. Scarborough shot down the rumors quickly on his MSNBC morning show with one word – "no."  

On Wednesday's "Morning Joe," Scarborough referenced a conversation he had with the Huffington Post senior editor Tuesday. Fineman told him he had caught wind of the Bloomberg ticket, and Scarborough said he replied "No."

"I tell [Fineman] no. And we keep going and talking, no, no, no, no, no, like the song, right?" Scarborough continued. "But let me just say, Mike Bloomberg and I have not talked about his directly, or indirectly, or super-super-secret indirectly. ...So can I just say no?" he told the audience on the record.

Fineman wrote in his column that "the two are friends and, in both public and private, mutual admirers." He added that "well-placed sources" have told the Huffington Post the two have discussed a 2012 run.

Although Scarborough shot down rumors on the record, he has been promoting the Big Apple's mayor of late, inviting him on "Morning Joe" and also holding a conference with him at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, where the two discussed the future of the country. It was this event that may have aroused the most suspicion about a possible Presidential run for the two figures.

In addition, Scarborough has been doing his level best to paint himself as an independent in Republican clothing. While he constantly flaunts his former status as a GOP congressman, he brags about his streak of pushing for bipartisanship. He has criticized President Obama for being too radical, while trashing conservative pundits Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich for being too far to the right.

Former MSNBC host Donny Deutsch seemed disappointed at Scarborough's refusal to run, and expressed his belief that Bloomberg will be the next President of the United States. "Bloomberg I actually think – I actually think will be the next President of the United States," Deutsch claimed. He told Scarborough that he and Bloomberg "as a ticket would be brilliant."