Bloomberg Obama Endorsement: Why the NYC Mayor Backed the President, and What Impact It Will Have

Impact

Obama has received two important endorsements recently, from Colin Powell last week and now New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg on Thursday. Both endorsements point towards one idea: Obama has the good character which many want in a president. Recent events and the President's handling of the Hurricane Sandy crisis have shown what kind of president Obama really is when under pressure, which is the kind of president that Americans want.

When Hurricane Sandy hit, President Obama rushed to get in contact with governors of the states which were affected by the storm. Of course, Romney did his part too, by encouraging donations and support to the areas that were hit . However, Obama is the president, and he was well aware that he must take action and step in to lead during this emergency. He displayed a calm demeanor throughout, which is something Bloomberg saw and recognized with his endorsement.

Not everyone may agree with Obama’s policies or the way he may handle the economy, but it cannot be denied that Obama is quick to take action when dealing with a crisis. Powell praised Obama at his handling of the economy as well as the ending of the Iraq War and Middle East relations. Bloomberg, meanwhile chose to support Obama after seeing the destruction Hurricane Sandy has brought to New York and other states, focusing on how Obama will be best for climate change concerns for the future. Neither one may agree with all of Obama’s policies, but they do agree on one thing: Obama deserves four more years.

Presidential endorsements are important and reflect not only respect for the president, but hope that the current presidential policies will go a long way to helping this country in the future. It helps that in the wake of events such as Hurricane Sandy, the President is calm and attentive to regions which require more aid and assistance. For example, climate change was not a heavily discussed topic of this election until Hurricane Sandy. An emergency or disaster should not be publicized as anything political, however even New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie praised Obama for his actions taken in the aftermath of the storm.

On another note, those who endorse a politician usually do so for personal reasons. The Washington Post has what it calls the Fix Endorsement Hierarchy, which basically ranks endorsements based on importance or no importance. Powell’s endorsement of Obama in 2008 was seen as symbolic because of the respectable general that Colin Powell was and as such, his endorsement this year was not all surprising. Meanwhile, Bloomberg's endorsement can be seen as more of a “me-for-me” endorsement, because Bloomberg looked at how neither Obama nor Romney have taken the course which Bloomberg supports on issues like climate change and gun control. It is worth noting then that The Economist also endorsed Obama Thursday, as Obama poll numbers continue to climb.

Obama’s calm demeanor during a crisis and willingness to give aid is only part of the reason why Obama has received the endorsements that he has. Obama has done much to help this country, from the economy to healthcare and he does not fail when he is needed during a disaster. Despite who you may vote for, know that the right man for the job is the one that is willing to listen to the people.