Reflecting on the Bloomberg legacy on his 70th birthday
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 12:40 PM
Courtesy of the mayors office
Joyce Purnick--WNYC political analyst, New York Times columnist and the author ofa Michael Bloomberg biography--has a piece up on the station's site today looking at the legacy of Mayor Mike Bloomberg as he turns 70:
Because of his wealth, Bloomberg was always more independent than politicians who have to worry about campaign contributions and support from special interests, ranging from real estate developers to unions. He was never one to pull many punches. But, especially when he was considering a run for the presidency during his second term, the mayor was sometimes cautious and did make some accommodations. He was not notably tough on municipal unions, did not champion same-sex marriage for many years though most assumed he favored the concept, knowing his politics.
Now, he is going for broke. His third term ends December 31, 2013, and he is not about to run for president this year, much less four years from now. There is nothing to hold him back, and Bloomberg not only wants to “make a difference” as he says so often, but, clearly, to influence his place in history.
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