![Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg speaks at an Ohio campaign event at Bounce Innovation Hub in Akron. [Mark Urycki / ideastream]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b21fd7c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/980x551+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2020%2F01%2FDSC_9151%20Bloomberg.crop_.jpg)
Democratic Presidential Candidate Michael Bloomberg visited Ohio for the second time in a month on Wednesday night. And he picked up an endorsement in Akron.
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan endorsed Bloomberg by saying, “we’re not looking for a savior; we’re looking for a partner in the Oval Office.”
During his speech to a large crowd at Akron’s Bounce Innovation Hub, Bloomberg — former mayor of New York City — touched briefly on many topics, including his efforts to reduce infant mortality and gun violence. Both he and Horrigan say those are important issues in cities like Akron.
“I’m a big believer that we’ve gotta get guns out of the hands of criminals and people with psychiatric problems. And there’s no reason to have AK-47s in people’s hands. Just a thought!”
Bloomberg also spent part of his low-key, 20-minute speech lauding Mayor Horrigan’s economic development efforts in Akron. In 2017, Horrigan was chosen for the inaugural class of a Bloomberg-led initiative to help mayors gain executive leadership skills.
Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg (left) picked up an endorsement on Wednesday night from Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, during a speech at Bounce Innovation Hub. [Kabir Bhatia / WKSU]
Bloomberg served as NYC mayor first as a Republican and later an Independent. In remarks to reporters, he briefly spoke about the man he could face if he gets the Democratic nomination: President Donald Trump. Bloomberg said – in light of this week’s events in Iran – that Trump lacks experience in foreign affairs.
“He got rid of all the people in the State Department that could give him advice. And the Department of Defense. We need people who do business around the world. Donald Trump has never done that. In my company, we deal in 70 different countries. He’s dealt -- as far as know – in one. And he just makes decisions without consulting others. And that’s the ways you make a bad decision.”
Bloomberg will be opening an Akron campaign office by the end of the month, likely on West Market Street.
Audio of Bloomberg's entire speech is available here:
Michael Bloomberg's speech in Akron
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