As time dwindles before Election Day, celebrities, entrepreneurs and influential businessmen have come out of the woodwork to throw their support behind one of the presidential candidates. On Wednesday, one of the biggest names in media, politics and business came out in support of Vice President Kamala Harris: Mike Bloomberg.
“I voted for Kamala Harris without hesitation,” Bloomberg wrote LinkedIn post published on Thursday. “When it comes to politics and personal integrity, the contrast could not be clearer.”
Bloomberg, who is he? it is worth almost $105 billionaccording to ForbesHe has a long history in politics and business. The three-term mayor of New York was affiliated with the Democratic Party prior to 2001, but was a registered Republican for the first half of his term as mayor, and an Independent for the second half.
However, he he rolled over again years later, when he started the campaign for the democratic candidacy president in the 2020 election. He self-funded the campaign with $935 million, but ended it in March 2020 after winning. Only 59 representatives. He ran the most expensive first US presidential campaign.
At the time, top Democrats called out Bloomberg for his ties to the Republican Party. It was one of the main messages of his presidential campaign He “took charge” of New York City after the September 11 attacks.but it relied on an endorsement from Rudy Giuliani, who was the mayor of NYC when the attacks occurred and served as former President Donald Trump’s personal attorney.
“To say that he wants to be the leader of the Democratic Party is a condescending and unbelievable conceit,” Monica Klein, founding partner of the progressive political consultancy. Seneca Strategies, say Political in 2019
But Bloomberg is also the entrepreneur behind his namesake media and financial data company, a multibillion-dollar empire that includes Bloomberg Professional, Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Radio and Bloomberg Businessweek. The inspiration for Bloomberg’s first venture was building a computerized internal financial system Wall Street investment bank Salomon Brothers In the mid 60s.
He used the money he made to start data services company Innovative Market Systems, which sold custom computer terminals that provided real-time market data, financial calculations and other business analysis to Wall Street firms. The terminal was released in 1982 and It was called the Market Master terminalwhich was later known as Bloomberg terminal. As of 2023, Bloomberg LP, a private company, had revenue of $12.5 billion, according to Forbes. More than 325,000 people subscribe to the terminal, and Bloomberg employs 20,000 people.
The Bloomberg person is also in a unique position as the face of a major business news publication, given its close ties to politics. However, he nailed the reasons for the vote.
“I’m impressed with the way Vice President Harris has run his campaign: reaching out to independents and Republicans and rallying voters from all parties by offering a positive vision of the country,” Bloomberg wrote. LinkedIn the message “He is determined to move our nation forward, and he understands that the only way to do that is to bring people back together.”
Bloomberg also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom President Joe Biden this year. The US’s highest civilian award “is given to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, to world peace, or to other important social, public, or private endeavors,” according to the White House. statement.
Along with his political and business endeavors, he was awarded the medal as a nod to his dedication to philanthropy. In 2010, Bloomberg signed on The promise of givinga promise to give away at least half of the money for the ultra-rich. During this life, Bloomberg has given about 17.4 billion dollars to philanthropy.
With just five days until the election, Bloomberg leaves voters with one final message: “I hope undecided voters of all political stripes will join me in voting for Vice President Harris.”
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