(MM)
EYEWITNESS NEWS IS YOUR LOCAL
ELECTION HEADQUARTERS.
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE--- MIKE BLOOMBERG WAS
IN PROVIDENCE TODAY--
TO PUBLICIZE HIS FIRST
ENDORSEMENT FROM A GOVERNOR --
GINA RAIMONDO.
(HE)
AND RIGHT AFTER THE EVENT,
EYEWITNESS NEWS POLITICS EDITOR
TED NESI WAS THE *ONLY* LOCAL
TELEVISION REPORTER TO SPEAK
ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE FORMER NEW
YORK CITY MAYOR.
"I want to unite this country,
so I've gone to - I'm trying to
go to every state - so far I
think this is the 25th state,
we've been to 60 cities" (219)
(HE)
TED, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN A BIG
WEEK FOR BLOOMBERG...
A LOT OF PUNDITS SUGGESTING HE
MAY BE ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON THE
MESSY VOTE COUNT IN THE IOWA
CAUCUS.
(TN)
YES. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND IS, BLOOMBERG IS
RUNNING A VERY UNORTHODOX
STRATEGY --
SKIPPING THE KEY EARLY STATES
LIKE IOWA WHILE SPENDING *HUGE*
AMOUNTS FROM HIS OWN FORTUNE
TRYING TO WIN THE LATER
CONTESTS.
AND HE TELLS ME HIS CONFIDENCE,
IS GROWING.
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL
MIKE BLOOMBERG IN RHODE ISLAND
WEDNESDAY...
SECURING HIS FIRST ENDORSEMENT
FROM ANY GOVERNOR IN THE
COUNTRY.
"We need to get behind somebody
who's a fighter, who has a track
record of getting things done
and who can win in November
against Donald Trump!"
[Cheering.]
RHODE ISLAND GOVERNOR GINA
RAIMONDO MAKING IT OFFICIAL...
SAYING SHE SEES BLOOMBERG AS HER
PARTY'S BEST HOPE ... AND
PRAISING HIS POLICIES ON CLIMATE
CHANGE AND GUN CONTROL.
"For me it's an easy decision"
I SPOKE WITH RAIMONDO AND
BLOOMBERG AFTER THE EVENT.
"Mike's a friend. He has an
unbelievable track record of
delivering." (301)
BLOOMBERG ARGUES OTHER
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES, DON'T
HAVE THEIR EYE ON THE BALL.
"I'm running against Donald
Trump - they're running against
each other. And my polls are
going up and their polls are
going down. If I were them I'd
change their strategies
"
"Donald Trump's the wrong guy
for the job and we've got to do
something about it."
"What about the concerns among
some in the more moderate wing
of the Democratic Party who say,
you know, your campaign is
harming people like Joe Biden
and Pete Buttigieg now because
you can command a lot of
attention."
"What'd I miss? Why am I not as
important to this country? I've
been an American for longer than
Mayor Pete has. I've been an
American for longer than Joe
Biden has. I have a right to run
as well."
BLOOMBERG SPOKE JUST HOURS AFTER
THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED HIS
STATE OF THE UNION...
TOUTING STRONG JOB NUMBERS AND A
GROWING ECONOMY.
"Are voters wrong to be
relatively pleased with where
things are?"
"In every period in office
there's some good times and bad
times, and yes there are a lot
of things that are going right,
but there are an awful lot of
things going wrong."
(TN)
BLOOMBERG WENT ON TO SAY MORE
THAN ANY ECONOMIC STATISTIC...
HE WORRIES ABOUT THE MESSAGE THE
PRESIDENT'S TONE AND CHARACTER
SENDS TO AMERICA'S CHILDREN.
AND COMING UP -- I ASK THE
QUESTION YOU'RE PROBABLY ASKING
--
WOULD HE PICK GINA RAIMONDO AS
HIS RUNNING MATE?
LESLIE, EYEWITNESS NEWS...
(HE)
EYEWITNESS NEWS IS YOUR LOCAL
ELECTION HEADQUARTERS.
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE MIKE BLOOMBERG ---
RALLYING IN PROVIDENCE TODAY....
...TO PUBLICIZE HIS FIRST
ENDORSEMENT FROM A GOVERNOR --
GINA RAIMONDO.
(MM)
AND EYEWITNESS NEWS--- POLITICS
EDITOR TED NESI WAS THE---
*ONLY* ---LOCAL TELEVISION
REPORTER TO SPEAK-- ONE-ON-ONE
WITH THE FORMER---- NEW YORK
CITY MAYOR DURING HIS VISIT.
TED -- IN SOME WAYS---- THIS
ENDORSEMENT ISN'T A HUGE
SURPRISE.
(TN)
THAT'S RIGHT -- BLOOMBERG AND
RAIMONDO HAVE BEEN POLITICAL
ALLIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
BUT IT'S STILL AN IMPORTANT
MILESTONE FOR THE BILLIONAIRE
BUSINESSMAN'S CAMPAIGN AS HE
SEEKS TO CONVINCE DEMOCRATS TO
GIVE HIM A SERIOUS LOOK.
"I'm here to announce that I'm
endorsing Mike for president!"
[Cheering]
GINA RAIMONDO BECOMING THE FIRST
GOVERNOR TO BACK MIKE BLOOMBERG
FOR PRESIDENT...
NOW A CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR SHE
DEFENDS BLOOMBERG'S UNORTHODOX
STRATEGY --
HE'S SKIPPING THE EARLY
PRIMARIES AND USING HIS PERSONAL
FORTUNE TO TARGET THE LATER
STATES.
"Ted, we have to be
unconventional"
I CAUGHT UP WITH RAIMONDO AND
BLOOMBERG AFTER THEIR RALLY.
"We have to go toe to toe with
the president, and if Trump's
anything he's unconventional."
BLOOMBERG SAYS HE'S MOTIVATED BY
MORE THAN POLICY DISAGREEMENTS.
"I think it's the tone and it's
the character. What are we
teaching our children, that the
president can lie and the
children says, 'Mommy, Daddy, if
the president can do it, why
can't I?' No!"
AS FOR WHAT'S NEXT...
"So the governor's here
endorsing you today - would you
consider her as your vice
presidential pick?"
"I would consider everybody, but
let me just tell you this
governor sets a model I think"
"I've watched her for years and
I've been proud to support her,
and I think she has a great
future in this country wherever
she decides to go."
"If he asked, would you accept?"
"Let's first get him the
nomination. Let's first get him
the nomination."
(TN)
BLOOMBERG ALREADY HAS A CAMPAIGN
STAFF IN MASSACHUSETTS... WHERE
THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY IS
COMING UP ON MARCH 3RD.
HE SAYS HE PLANS TO OPEN A RHODE
ISLAND OFFICE AND HIRE NEARLY
TWO DOZEN CAMPAIGN WORKERS HERE
IN THE COMING WEEKS.
(MM)
TED, AS YOU SAID, SUCCESSFUL
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DON'T
USUALLY SKIP STATES LIKE IOWA
AND NEW HAMPSHIRE ...
SO IS THIS A RISKY BET FOR
BLOOMBERG?
(TN)
DEFINITELY, AND THAT'S WHY A LOT
OF PUNDITS REMAIN SKEPTICAL.
BUT BLOOMBERG IS NOW FOURTH IN
THE NATIONAL POLLS.
HE WON'T LACK FOR RESOURCES --
HE'S ALREADY SPENT OVER 200
MILLION DOLLARS.