Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Bloomberg Gets By With Some Help From Giuliani

Aired November 07, 2001 - 11:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the elections from yesterday.

In the city of New York, a new leader this morning. Voters have chosen media mogul Michael Bloomberg to help guide the city through its difficult recovery process ahead. He made a stunning comeback after getting some help from New York's current leader. A well-known man at this point.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa now with more, in New York.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After eight years of a Republican in New York's City Hall, the legacy will continue. But Republican billionaire, Mike Bloomberg was quick to point out that his tenure won't center on party politics.

MAYOR-ELECT MIKE BLOOMBERG (R), NEW YORK: Tonight is not about Republicans or Democrats. It's about New Yorkers!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

HINOJOSA: At Mark Green's Democratic headquarters, a concession, but also a quick jab about losing to a billionaire.

MARK GREEN (D): When a campaign adviser last month told me that no candidate in America had ever won election being outspent by 45 million dollars, I thought we'd beat the odds. The final sprint of the mayor's race took off back on September 11th. The day people thought would have been a routine primary. When a predominantly Democratic city was set to choose its Democratic candidate, and most likely, the next mayor of the city. That Democrat would run against a political unknown. Republican businessman Mike Bloomberg, who would spend millions of his own money on this campaign, making this the city's most expensive election.

BLOOMBERG: My experience in terms of building a company and managing people through economic trying times and providing leadership to 8,000 employees and 200,000 customers, is suff -- makes me qualified to lead this city forward for this period in time.

HINOJOSA: But the terror attacks that morning delayed the primary by two weeks and turned this election upside down. The popularity of Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani soared as he presided over a city gripped by grief and fear, but Giuliani is barred from running again by term limits. And he endorsed Bloomberg. MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI (R), NEW YORK: ...comfortable with Mike Bloomberg being the next mayor. But whatever the voters choose, it's their choice.

HINOJOSA: In the Democratic primary, voters split along racial lines. Winner Mark Green was accused of playing a race card against Latino candidate, Fernando Ferrar from the Bronx and the split left Democrats reeling.

REV. AL SHARPTON: But I do not want to see our communities and our people of good will, including those in all communities that were involved in the Ferrar campaign told that this is some side issue that is unimportant. We cannot send a signal that we will put our dignity on hold in the name of "we must win at any cost."

HINOJOSA (on camera): And what it cost the Democrats was New York's City Hall. How Latinos and African-Americans and other New York Democrats will fare under a Bloomberg tenure remains to be seen.

Maria Hinojosa, CNN, New York.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com