Howard outlined his ideas on how to improve Atlanta's schools, reduce crime rates and alleviate traffic gridlock.

But city residents shouldn't expect any big changes soon if he's elected.

Howard said like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- both political outsiders when they sought public office -- he would probably need some time to get up to speed. "I wouldn't have any idea what I was doing," Howard allowed. "I assume I would be completely flailing at first."

Howard is the consumer advisor at WSB-TV Channel 2 and WSB-AM radio.

Howard acknowledged that race is likely to be an issue if he runs. Howard is white in a city where the last non-black mayor was Sam Massell some 34 years ago. Like Massell, Howard is also Jewish.

"We have not been color blind in the state of Georgia," he said.

Howard said that since Andrew Young's failed bid for governor, it has been a deal of sorts that blacks had a claim to Atlanta mayor and whites owned the Georgia governor's mansion.

"It's unknown, in my mind, what people's reaction will be," Howard said.

Howard has built a mini media empire making cheap chic. Besides hosting a popular radio show which reaches millions of listeners across the country, he also dispenses consumer advice through books, television appearances and a newspaper column.

A longtime political junkie, Howard is weighing a run for mayor of Atlanta in 2009, or maybe even a run for governor of Georgia in 2010.

He insists the odds are against him entering either race. Howard said he's concerned about giving up a career where he feels like he's making a difference. He also worries about the strain a campaign would place on his family. Howard has two young children and a teenage daughter from his first marriage.

Still the native Atlantan has clearly been giving the city's future some thought.

Allowing that his own young daughter attends "a snobby private school," Howard said on Friday that the city's public schools are more focused on providing jobs to city residents than education its children.

"The schools in the city of Atlanta are a joke," he said. Howard said he would like to empty out the school board offices and redirect the money to lowering class sizes and placing two teachers in a classroom.

He also said he would support establishing two school boards: One to handle traditional schools and another to oversee charter schools and voucher programs.

"It would create the competition we need within the city," he said.

Howard said the first thing he'd like to do if elected is to create public safety officers within the city's police force to deal with traffic issues. That would free up police officers to focus on crime prevention.

And he drew applause when he said that the city must synchronize its red lights to improve traffic flow.

Howard has said he will decide whether to enter the race next summer. If he does run, it would mean the end of his show in either Atlanta or Georgia due to federal equal time rules.