I caught New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s endorsement of President Obama today. Two things in particular stood out. First:

“Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be — given this week’s devastation — should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action.”

It’s not that I look the other way on sensible environmental policy, I’m not China after all, but I also have a healthy respect for rational thinking. Public policy should not be enacted to combat thing (A) because of thing (B) that may or may not be the result of (A). Bloomberg’s argument is kindergarten stuff. It’s a bit like the school that serves chicken in the cafeteria, half the kids get food poisoning three days later, and the PTA decides to endorse the incumbent superintendent of education because he will work harder than his opponent to stamp out protein in school lunches.

Second:

“We need leadership from the White House — and over the past four years, President Barack Obama has taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption, including setting higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks. His administration also has adopted tighter controls on mercury emissions, which will help to close the dirtiest coal power plants (an effort I have supported through my philanthropy), which are estimated to kill 13,000 Americans a year.”

Beyond the irritating self-aggrandizing going on here, this is the best Bloomberg could come up with to validate Obama’s dedication to the cause, and instead of mocking the tepid achievements of Obama’s first four years on an issue he campaigned on in 2008, perhaps it’s instructive to notice Obama has completely abandoned the issue on the campaign trail in 2012.

So here’s an argument, based on specious logic, in favor of a president who has shown minimal interest in the subject at hand. Since the overwhelming likelihood is Obama landing another four years in five days, this feels less like an endorsement and more like an application for a cabinet post from a man living out his last days under the chopping block of term-limits.

Here’s the endorsement in full – http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-01/a-vote-for-a-president-to-lead-on-climate-change.html