For about the last five years, numerous pundits have called for an independent presidential bid from NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, perhaps with television's Joe Scarborough as a running mate. They would break through gridlock, somehow! Unfortunately, Bloomberg is terribly unpopular.

Centrists pundits fawn over Michael Bloomberg because while he loves wars in the Middle East and loosely regulated business and financial sectors, he still takes the time to eliminate salt and fat from fat-people food. Yet most people in America who've heard of this straight-talkin' mayor don't actually like him at all. From Public Policy Polling:

Only 19% of Americans expressed a favorable opinion of Bloomberg on our most recent national poll while 38% said they see him unfavorably. That -19 favorability spread makes him more unpopular than Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and even Sarah Palin and places him slightly ahead of only Newt Gingrich. Republicans are the most negative toward him, giving him a 12/48 favorability. Independents weigh in at 19/37, and only Democrats even come close to rating him positively with 24% saying they have a favorable opinion of him to 30% with a negative one.

Hell, he's not even popular enough for a seat at your Thanksgiving dinner.

[Image via Getty]