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American Morning

Bloomberg Faces Challenge of Walking in Giuliani's Shoes

Aired March 11, 2002 - 07:35   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Talk about a tough act to follow. Michael Bloomberg, who had never held public office before, was undoubtedly helped into city hall by fellow Republican Rudy Giuliani. But then he faced the challenge of walking in Giuliani's shoes.

Now, six months after the World Trade Center attacks, rebuilding New York has become job one for Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and he joins us now from World Financial Center in lower Manhattan this morning -- good morning -- good of you to join us this morning.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: So, Mr. Mayor, tell us a little bit about this package that New York City was awarded last week, some $20 billion. Will that do the job?

BLOOMBERG: Well, it is money to pay for the recovery of those we lost, remove the rubble, replace and repair the infrastructure, communications, electricity, transportation. There is some money to help companies that are in trouble get through the difficult period, loans, and a few subsidies. And for people who -- there is some money for people whose apartments were damaged. But basically, we are going to rebuild the buildings with private money and insurance proceeds, and that's the way it should be.

ZAHN: Do you expect needing to go back to the federal government to ask for more to finish the job?

BLOOMBERG: Well, I don't know. It's a long time down the road you are asking about, but what we have to do is first and foremost to make sure that the monies that the American public was nice enough to give us are well spent. We have got to make sure that we spend them appropriately, and that there is no corruption, and that there is good accounting. And if we do that, then I am sure the American public will understand that as goes New York City goes this country.

ZAHN: And in your estimation, what will be the most challenging part of the recovery process yet to come? You outlined some of where this money might go to improve the infrastructure and to perhaps help downtown businesses. But where is it, do you think, we are in the most dire need right now?

BLOOMBERG: Well, there are lots of short-term needs, but the most important thing is that we don't make a mistake and commit us to living for decades and perhaps centuries where we could have done something that would help all of the region and did something just for one small part of that. We have a unique opportunity to really make the city better and show terrorists that not only did they not win, but we came out stronger than ever. And we have got to resist the urge to rush and build too quickly.

ZAHN: Mr. Mayor, there was a report in "Time" magazine last week that there was believed to be a credible threat of a barge loaded with a 10 kiloton nuclear bomb headed to New York City. It later turned out to be a false account. But much of the fallout came after that report. It was released suggesting that no one in the city government or state government was even informed. Is that true? Had anybody ever notified -- did you know at City Hall of this threat? I know you weren't in power, but...

BLOOMBERG: Well, I was not in office then. I have not heard of anybody claiming that they knew. One of the reasons I picked our current police commissioner is that he has a lot of Washington experience, and we have appointed a deputy commissioner for terrorism and a deputy commissioner for intelligence to improve our communications with all law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

And Governor Tom Ridge, who runs Homeland Security for the president, called me at home last week to assure me, and I know he called the governor as well, but to assure both of us that he will keep us in the loop, and that we will not have any breach in communications like apparently happened.

ZAHN: All right. Mayor Mike Bloomberg, thank you very much for joining us this morning -- appreciate your time.

BLOOMBERG: Thank you for having me.

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