Jon Friedman wants to do a favor for the men and women outside New York who are covering the presidential campaign: school 'em on Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Jon's old boss. So what, pray tell, is this game-changing advice offered in "Bloomberg 101"?

Says Friedman:

• Why is Bloomberg in politics? Conspiracy theorist that I am, I always figured Mike was influenced by "City Hall," the 1996 movie with Al Pacino as a short, brilliant, brassy, ethnic mayor. (Hello, Mike!) Check out the movie sometime.

• It may not be easy for reporters to get a lot of "dirt" on Bloomberg. He has a knack for building a superloyal staff. Sure, Bloomberg paid above-average salaries, but people rallied around him because he created a winning atmosphere and he cared about his employees.

• Bloomberg has a short fuse but really means no harm. He will, on occasion, call out a reporter for asking a less than intelligent question.

• At the recent Time 100 dinner, Medford, Mass., native Bloomberg cited Arnold "Red" Auerbach, the legendary visionary behind the Boston Celtics' championships, as one of his heroes. I've heard that his favorite actresses include, Cybill Shepherd and Sharon Stone. Word also is that he had great affection for "Blazing Saddles."

• Perhaps the most helpful piece of information I can impart is Bloomberg's favorite pet expression. It may just be the key to his success, too. It's something he tells colleagues to make sure they don't let him down. It's a four-word statement, or warning: "Don't f*** it up!"

So run off, novice reporters, armed with the information that'll help you tackle one of the most money-fueled potential presidential bids ever. And don't fuck it up.