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Mayor Bloomberg Says Only Death Will Stop His Third Term

By DNAinfo Staff on September 1, 2010 6:10pm  | Updated on September 2, 2010 6:02am

In this 2008 photo, Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks with then Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama.
In this 2008 photo, Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks with then Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama.
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AP Photo/Shannon Stapleton, Pool

By Jill Colvin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — Despite speculation that he's eyeing higher office, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Wednesday that he intends to serve out the rest of his term unless he's overcome by death.

Asked at a press conference in Queens whether there were any circumstances under which he would consider stepping down, Bloomberg offered two scenarios:

"If I die," was one; "total incapacitation" the other.

"Short of that, I can't think of any," he added.

Bloomberg also berated a reporter who asked whether he intended to meet with the Imam behind Park51, the proposed mosque and cultural center two blocks from Ground Zero.

Feisal Abdul Rauf is scheduled to return to the U.S. from a trip abroad Wednesday, said Zaheer Uddin, the executive director of the new Majis Ash-Shura Islamic Leadership Council.

"Government shouldn't be involved. You don’t seem to get the concept," Bloomberg told the reporter, before instructing her to go back to "Civics 101 or 102" to read the Bill of Rights.

"It's the First Amendment and it's one of the basics of this country," he said, before adding that he had "no intention of getting involved."

The mayor made the comments at a press conference announcing the opening of 26 new school locations ahead of the start of the year. 

At an endorsement speech in Philadelphia, Bloomberg issued similar instructions, telling a heckler to "go from here directly to the library" to consult the Bill of Rights.