New York's 'Naked Cowboy' to run for mayor

AFP/File – New York busker who calls himself "The Naked Cowboy," seen here performing in his underwear …

NEW YORK (AFP) – A New York busker who calls himself "The Naked Cowboy" and entertains crowds of tourists in his underwear in Times Square year round, Tuesday launched a bid to run for mayor.

"No one knows how to do more with less than yours truly, and that's the kind of thinking I plan on sharing with my fellow New Yorkers when you elect me," said Robert Burck, announcing his bid to run against Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The long-haired, tattooed Burck has become a Times Square feature and said on his website that he plans to make an official announcement at his regular haunt on Wednesday.

Dressed in nothing but a cowboy hat, boots, and a pair of white underpants emblazoned with the words "Naked Cowboy," Burck earns about 1,000 dollars a day with his busking.

Bloomberg, a billionaire and Wall Street whiz, intends to run for re-election as mayor hoping for a third four-year-term.

He has already spent millions of dollars on his campaign, including on a blizzard of television commercials, while his only real challenger, the little-known city comptroller, William Thompson, has struggled to be heard.