Now that Ron Lauder is on board with a third Bloomberg term, the mayor has cleared a major hurdle for another bid, but there are a few details he would need to work out.

Unlike during his two previous mayoral campaigns, Bloomberg is no longer a member of any political party. If he were to run, he'd need to either get permission from a major party to run on its line, or run on a line that he creates himself.

Frank Morano, head of the Staten Island chapter of the Independence Party and huge supporter of Bloomberg's presidential non-bid, declined to say if he would support Bloomberg running on his party's line.  read more »

At John McCain's town hall forum last night, he was asked whether third party candidates should participate in presidential debates with him and Barack Obama.

The question came from Frank Morano, the outspoken Independence Party activist. And just as Morano was asking the question, Fox News cut to commercial (conspiracy!).

Above is a clip of Fox's Shepard Smith of Fox News recapping the exchange after the break.

The Independence Party interviews for congressional candidates eyeing Vito Fossella’s seat were supposed to take place last night, but got postponed because of what one organizer called a “logistical problem.”

That organizer, Frank Morano, a member of the party’s state executive committee, said the interviews have been rescheduled for 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, at Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn, at 4254 Arthur Kill Road on Staten Island.  read more »

Here's what I've heard so far about who might run for Vito Fossella's seat now that the congressman has said he is staying in office but not seeking re-election.

A spokesman for Democratic City Councilman Domenic Recchia of Brooklyn, the best-funded challenger, said he’s still in the race, despite some rumblings that he might drop out. Democratic attorney Steve Harrison is also still running.

On the Republican side, the names of State Senator Andrew Lanza and District Attorney Dan Donovan have been floated. But a bid by either would come at a cost to the party. A Lanza run could jeopardize one of the State Senate seats that give Republicans a majority. And Donovan would have to give up his safe seat as district attorney, in which case David Paterson would almost certainly appoint a Democrat to that borough-wide position.  read more »

Here's a little more evidence of how frenzied things are getting in Staten Island, now that Representative Vito Fossella's seat might be up for grabs in the fall.

Yesterday I reported that, according to Independence Party state executive committee member Frank Morano, the I.P. is interviewing candidates for Fossella's seat on May 25.  read more »

The Staten Island chapter of the Independence Party, which supported recently arrested Republican Congressman Vito Fossella in 2006, is interviewing “all prospective candidates” who want to seek their endorsement this year.

Interviews will take place on May 25, according to Frank Morano, an executive committee member of the New York State Independence Party.

Morano said Fossella “would have a shot at the nomination,” but also said that it would not be “a lock."  read more »

Frank Morano, a local Independence Party activist who is perhaps best-known for encouraging Lindsay Lohan to run for public advocate (it was before her D.U.I.s), does not think the rise of John McCain spells the end of Michael Bloomberg’s presidential ambitions.

Morano made his case in an email to me earlier this morning:  read more »

That hyper-publicized Michael Bloomberg interview with Dan Rather on DNET is airing tonight at 8 p.m., and according to several news outlets, the major development is that Bloomberg says that he’s not running for president and that he isn't electable anyway.

Does this reiteration of his official position change anything?

Certainly, the Bloomberg's small-but-passionate group of presidential boosters seem to think not.

Even as the interview airs, members of the Draft Bloomberg effort will be gathering for their weekly meeting at the Old Town.

Another Bloomberg supporter, Independence Party activist Frank Morano, put it this way:

“It’s more or less the same thing he’s said before. I don’t think the fact that he said he’s not running, again, is news.

“I believe and it’s my hope that when the major party notions are picked next years that the mayor will have a sense of duty and feel there is no other option other than to jump into the race.”

Below is an excerpt of the interview Rather's network sent over.  read more »