BeyondGenius.com

In a decision that is surely a relief to many of his relatives, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared that he will not seek the White House but might put his support behind another candidate who embraces bipartisan governing.

“I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not — and will not be — a candidate for president,” Bloomberg, 66, wrote in an editorial published in yesterday’s edition of the New York Times.

Bloomberg aides had said if he had decided to run, a $1 billion operation would have been ready to go.

Bloomberg’s main reason for staying out is that he believes the presidential race is now a centrist contest, primarily because it looks like it will be a contest between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, both of whom have championed bipartisanship.

“The race is too important to sit on the sidelines, and so I have changed my mind in one area,” he wrote. “If a candidate takes an independent, nonpartisan approach and embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy, I’ll join others in helping that candidate win the White House.”

Look for both Senators Obama and McCain to begin the pilgrimage to New York.