Former Columbus Mayor endorses Mike Bloomberg for President
“Mike likes Mike” Former Columbus Mayor endorses Bloomberg for President
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)- On Wednesday at Lincoln Cafe in Columbus, former Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman announced his endorsement for Mike Bloomberg in the presidential election.
Coleman was Columbus’ longest serving mayor, holding the office for 15 years. He says it’s his experience as a mayor of a large city that makes him believe Bloomberg is the best candidate for the job.
“The thing about being a mayor, you’re the closest to the people. People pick up the phone they come to you they say this is my problem, this is what’s going on and you know sometimes when you’re in Washington you’re disconnected from the world,” said Coleman.
Since entering the presidential race Bloomberg has received criticism for his ‘stop-and-frisk’ police strategy when he was mayor of New York. The policy gave police authority to detain people they suspected of committing a crime but it ultimately had a disproportional impact on people of color. Coleman says he believes the African American community should accept Bloomberg’s apology for the practice.
“We should accept his apology and the
reason is because he acknowledges his mistake, owns it, learns about it and
then proposes an African American focused policy,” said Coleman. “Not
only has he owned it he has said we’re going to go after the African American
vote and we’re going to make a difference in African American communities in a
positive way.”
Bloomberg has drawn comparison to President Donald Trump due to his Billionaire status but Coleman dismissed the idea that they are anything alike.
“No
he’s not just like Trump and I would take offense to that, he should take
offense to that. No, nobody is like Trump there’s only one Trump,” said
Coleman.
The Ohio Republican Party Communications Director Evan Machan, responded to the endorsement saying in part, “Democrats claim to be the party of the working class while continuing to endorse candidates that are the very definition of wealthy coastal elites.
Former NYC Mayor and presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has been going on a spending spree in Ohio because he knows how tough it will be for a Democrat to beat President Trump – even a billionaire Democrat with unlimited resources like himself.”