Because the time forward of Election Day dwindles, celebrities, entrepreneurs, and influential enterprise folks have come out of the woodwork to throw their assist behind one of many presidential candidates. On Wednesday, one of many largest names in media, politics, and enterprise introduced his assist for Vice President Kamala Harris: Mike Bloomberg.
“I voted for Kamala Harris without hesitation,” Bloomberg wrote in a LinkedIn submit printed Thursday. “When it comes to policy and personal integrity, the contrast could not be clearer.”
Bloomberg, who’s price practically $105 billion, in line with Forbes, has had a protracted and storied previous in politics and enterprise. The three-term mayor of New York Metropolis was affiliated with the Democratic celebration earlier than 2001, however in the course of the first portion of his time as mayor he was a registered Republican, and in the course of the second half he was Impartial.
Nevertheless, he flipped once more years later when he launched a marketing campaign for the Democratic nomination for president within the 2020 election. He self-funded the marketing campaign with $935 million, however ended it in March 2020 after having gained simply 59 delegates. He ran the costliest U.S. presidential main marketing campaign on report.
On the time, some top-ranking Democrats known as out Bloomberg for his connection to the Republican celebration. One of many main messages in his presidential marketing campaign was that he “took charge” of New York Metropolis after the 9/11 assaults, however he leaned closely on an endorsement by Rudy Giuliani, who was NYC mayor when the assaults occurred and served as former President Donald Trump’s private legal professional.
“To come down and say he wants to be the head of the Democratic Party—the hubris is unbelievable,” Monica Klein, a founding associate of progressive political consulting agency Seneca Methods, instructed Politico in 2019.
However Bloomberg can also be the businessman behind his namesake media and monetary knowledge firm, a multibillion empire that features Bloomberg Skilled, Bloomberg Information, Bloomberg Radio, and Bloomberg Businessweek. The inspiration behind Bloomberg’s first enterprise was from constructing an in-house computerized monetary system for Wall Road funding financial institution Salomon Brothers within the mid-’60s.
He used the cash he had earned from establishing knowledge providers firm Modern Market Methods, which bought personalized laptop terminals that delivered real-time market knowledge, monetary calculations, and different enterprise analytics to Wall Road corporations. The terminal was launched in 1982 and was known as the Market Grasp terminal, which later grew to become often known as the Bloomberg Terminal. As of 2023, Bloomberg LP, a non-public firm, had an estimated $12.5 billion in income, in line with Forbes. Greater than 325,000 folks subscribe to the terminal, and Bloomberg employs 20,000 folks.
Bloomberg the individual can also be in a singular place because the face for a significant enterprise information publication contemplating his shut connection to politics. Nonetheless, he nailed down the explanations for his vote.
“I’ve been impressed by the way Vice President Harris has run her campaign: reaching out to independents and Republicans and rallying voters of all parties by offering a positive vision of the country,” Bloomberg wrote within the LinkedIn submit. “She is determined to lead our nation forward, and she understands that the only way to do that is by bringing people back together.”
Bloomberg additionally obtained the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden this yr. The very best civilian award within the U.S. is “presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,” in line with a White Home assertion.
Alongside along with his political and enterprise endeavors, he was awarded the medal as a nod to his dedication to philanthropy. In 2010, Bloomberg signed The Giving Pledge, a promise for the ultra-wealthy to offer away no less than half of their fortune. Throughout this lifetime, Bloomberg has given away about $17.4 billion to philanthropy.
With simply 5 days till the election, Bloomberg leaves voters with one last message: “I hope undecided voters of all political stripes will join me in voting for Vice President Harris.”
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