NEW YORK (AP) – By now, rich New Yorkers are used to being summoned for a fancy meal to hear the pitch from a possible presidential contender. This time, though, they weren’t hit up for cash.

Billionaire Republican Mayor Bloomberg – who is mentioned as a possible 2008 candidate for president despite his repeated denials of any interest – gathered the city’s wealthiest and most active political donors on Thursday to remind them what they should consider before giving money to any candidates.

He reminded his lunch guests at the Four Seasons that national candidates who ask New Yorkers for money should only get financial support if they side with the city on a checklist of issues, such as financial regulations and funding for ailing ground zero workers.

Lest anyone think he is trolling for future campaign funds, consider this: The media mogul has never raised money for his own campaigns. He financed both of his own mayoral bids, spending $74 million to get elected and $85 million for another four years. If he were to run next year, he has said he could pay for the entire operation himself.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is mulling a run for president, and former Democratic Representative Harold Ford Jr. joined the mayor at the event.

They participated in a brief panel discussion about New York’s role in national politics during the presidential race – not only as a well of cash for the candidates, but in producing the possible nominees. Senator Clinton is running for the Democratic nomination and Mayor Giuliani is hoping for the GOP nod.

“I think that tells you something very profound about how this country’s attitude has changed, about the degree to which this country embraces and accepts New York as a legitimate source of leadership,” Mr. Gingrich said.

The Republican from Georgia did not mention his own aspirations; he has said he won’t decide until after September. Mr. Bloomberg, teasing about the buzz surrounding both of them, cracked at one point that Mr. Gingrich would make a “great vice presidential candidate.”

The gathering was a follow-up to a year ago, when Mr. Bloomberg launched what he calls the “New York City Card” that lays out the issues on a credit card-sized piece of plastic – a gimmicky reminder for donors to keep in their wallets.

The card steers clear of hot-button issues like gun control or abortion.

Among other things, this year’s update of the card asks donors to consider whether their candidates support ways to ease American regulations on financial services, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which Mr. Bloomberg says is making New York City lose its edge as a financial world leader.

He also wants donors to ask candidates whether they support the city’s bid for $150 million in annual federal funding for health treatment of those who became sick from the toxic dust and smoke at the World Trade Center site.

“Everybody comes here for help, and there’s nothing wrong with that … if people are coming here and wanting help from us, there’s nothing wrong with us turning the tables,” Mr. Bloomberg told the donors.

Several said after the lunch that they had used their cards as guidance in the last year while deciding where to direct their money and support.

“I have a great deal invested in this city and this state, so to have this focus, to bring the specifics like this as to what the challenges are, it helps me go back and do a little research,” said GOP fundraiser Georgette Mosbacher.

“When I talk to people who come to see me on certain issues, I bring up the subject of what’s important for New York, so it’s a valuable tool,” said Hassan Nemazee, a New York financier and Clinton fundraiser.

During the last presidential election cycle, donors in the New York metro area gave more campaign funds than those in any other major city, followed by Washington and Los Angeles, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics.

And the city is already leading contributions for the 2008 race: More than $2.3 million has flowed out of the 10021 zip code alone – which happens to be Mr. Bloomberg’s swank Upper East Side neighborhood. That slice of Manhattan leads the nation in political contributions.