Alec Baldwin as NYC Mayor? Actor Still Kicking Around Political Career

Where once 'Back to the Future' joked about the lunacy of an actor becoming president, modern audiences have lived through the Schwarzenegger era long enough to know that the idea of their favorite actors taking office is all-too-real.  And while he's talked about it before, just how close is Alec Baldwin to stepping out from NBC and making a run at political office?

Very!

Baldwin will maintain his contract with NBC and '30 Rock' (despite earlier worries) through 2013, after which time the actor tells Bloomberg Television anchor Betty Liu:

"It is something that I would love to do...I would love to do it because I have had a job that has been very good to me.  I have been very lucky and very successful in a lot of ways, but I would still like to consider doing that because I do a lot of this kind of work now and I wonder what it would be like if I had a staff and budget to do it."

Of course, Baldwin remains mindful of the ever-changing political climate, noting that "The only thing that I can suggest is that two years, four years, is an eternity in an American political life. Let's see what things are like in 2014 and maybe I can find some opportunity."

The idea of Baldwin running for political office has made the rumor mill for a number of years now, just as regularly as the idea of Baldwin eying an exit from '30 Rock.'  With the recent drama from Baldwin's reporter outrage and stalker Genevieve Sabourin, back and forth from both the actor and his '30 Rock' co-star Tina Fey seems to definitively suggest that the forthcoming seventh season of the show will be its last.

Of course, Baldwin doesn't want to give much immediate consideration to the idea of office, saying, "I have a contract to work for NBC through some point in 2013. We don't know how long the season is going to be or how long we are going to work, but I do know that there is one more season to do next year, contractually. Right now I am just looking at finishing what is in front of me."

What do you think?  Is the world ready for a Baldwin in office?  Could Alec conceivably take a run at the Mayor's chair when '30 Rock' closes its doors for good after next season?  Give us your take, or at least leave a scathing voice-mail message for the actor in the comments below!