Bloomberg-Schwarzenegger in 2012??

Time Magazine today has a piece about new BFFs Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The piece makes some interesting comparisons: "They're both self-confident, self-made men who rose to stardom from middle-class obscurity" and "They're both socially liberal Republicans who have flourished in Democratic political cultures."

It also trots out a few tired old Arnold cliches -- making fun of his accent and calling them "the oddest couple since Twins."

Most intriguing is a passage quoting Warren Buffett speculating on a Bloomberg-Schwarzenegger presidential ticket:

That love of action is the real link between Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg, and the real source of the recent Bloomberg-for-President buzz. There's no obvious niche for a candidate who supports gay marriage and gun control while opposing the death penalty and deadlines for withdrawing troops from Iraq. But there is an obvious appeal to a businessman who can work across party lines to get things done — and could drop $500 million on a campaign without even noticing it was gone. Buffett thinks it's a great idea, and when he first heard it, he turned to the Constitution. "I wanted to see if Schwarzenegger could be his Vice President," Buffett said. "I think he could." It states that the President must be native born, but it's silent on the Vice President. "That would be one hell of a team, wouldn't it?"

(As a side note, speaking of Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg, they are both expected in Los Angeles on Tuesday along with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for a conference at USC on the subject of ending political divisiveness. Have they noticed it's an election year? Good luck with that one....)