A majority of city Democrats say President Clinton should run for mayor after he leaves the White House – although New Yorkers overall are split on a post-presidential bid for Gracie Mansion.
A Marist College Poll found that 51 percent of Democratic voters want Clinton to run for mayor, while 42 percent oppose the notion.
Republican registered voters gave an overwhelming thumbs down to the far-fetched idea – sounding off 77 percent against to 21 percent in favor.
When the two groups are combined, the survey shows 51 percent oppose a Bubba-for-mayor campaign, while 44 percent approve. The overall poll of 657 registered voters, including 418 Democrats, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent – which means the citywide split is nearly even.
The Post’s Neal Travis reported this week that Clinton is toying with the idea of a mayoral bid. The White House said the president does not yearn to fill Mayor Giuliani’s shoes.
In answering a separate Marist Poll question about the likely Democratic candidates for City Hall, 23 percent favored Public Advocate Mark Green, 13 percent liked Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, 12 percent sided with Comptroller Alan Hevesi, 11 percent picked Al Sharpton and 9 percent picked City Council Speaker Peter Vallone.
Clinton and New York Sen.-elect Hillary Rodham Clinton, attended a star-studded Times Square charity ball last night at the Marriott Marquis.
The event, a fund-raiser for the G & P Foundation for Cancer Research, honored pop star Michael Jackson and Jordan’s Queen Noor.
Also in attendance were Robert De Niro – who sat between Hillary and Bill – Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell and Marc Anthony.
The outgoing president said nothing about the City Hall rumors, but when he was given a new saxophone, he joked, “I’ll have a little more time to play it in a week or two.”
He also referred to the election mess, saying that Larry King, the master of ceremonies, had just asked him for an end-of-term interview.
“I am not a very good story,” Clinton said. “You should be down in Florida doing interviews tonight.”
Earlier in the day, Mrs. Clinton greeted hundreds of fans who purchased pre-signed copies of her new book on entertaining, “An Invitation to the White House,” at a Midtown Barnes & Noble.