Bloomberg Gives Final Boost to Chafee

Bloomberg Gives Final Boost to Chafee

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a quick swing through Lincoln Chafee’s campaign headquarters in Warwick yesterday, giving a final boost to a candidate who was ahead in the polls heading into today’s election.

“I think this whole country needs people who try to pull people together, focus on the issues I care about—education, the economy—that’s what we need,” Bloomberg said, when asked why he was back in Rhode Island a second time to support Chafee, so close to the election. 

He said he has traveled around the country in support of about 15 to 20 candidates who have a consensus-building approach to politics, in contrast to candidates that “just say no to everything.”

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He said independents like Chafee would be able to bring together both parties, instead of a Democratic or Republican governor. “If you’re independent they don’t feel threatened and they can work together,” Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg briefly spoke with supporters and volunteers at Chafee’s campaign offices and joined Chafee in making a few phone calls to voters.

Bloomberg was one of three national figures to campaign in Rhode Island in the past two days. Former Massachusetts Governor and 2008 president candidate Mitt Romney made campaign stops for John Robitaille and John Loughlin yesterday and President Bill Clinton stumped for fellow Democrat Frank Caprio on Sunday.