Bloomberg said that he believed Mr. Romney would probably be better at running the country than Mr. Obama

◼ But Mr. Bloomberg said he could not support Mr. Romney because he disagreed with him on so many social issues - Michael Barbaro/New York Times

A guest at the dinner had asked the mayor for his feelings about the two candidates, prompting a lengthy reply, which was overheard by other guests. Two of those guests spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they feared upsetting the mayor by discussing a private discussion; a third was a reporter for The New York Times.

...Both Mr. Romney and Mr. Obama are vying for the political support of Mr. Bloomberg, whose name is all but synonymous with corporate-style management, Wall Street clout and nonpartisan politics.