Tacoma mayor stands by Bloomberg endorsement despite his past comments about minorities, women
When Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards in December endorsed presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, some people were left scratching their heads.
One of them was Caleb Wilson, a 33-year-old Tacoma resident.
“I thought, ‘Oh, that’s weird,’” he said in an interview with The News Tribune on Tuesday afternoon.
Bloomberg, billionaire and former mayor of New York, announced his candidacy for president in November as part of the Democratic Party. He recently opened a campaign office in Tacoma.
“I proudly endorse Mike Bloomberg based on his experience leading America’s largest city and his commitment to strengthening our nation and all its communities. That’s the kind of leader our country needs more than ever,” Woodards was quoted as saying in a December press release from the Bloomberg campaign.
Woodards told The News Tribune on Tuesday she’s standing by her endorsement in light of insensitive and derogatory comments about minorities and women attributed to Bloomberg that resurfaced earlier this month. She explained why.
Controversial comments
Earlier this month, a 2015 audio clip resurfaced of Bloomberg defending stop-and-frisk policies when he was mayor of New York, stirring controversy.
“Ninety-five percent of your murders — murderers and murder victims — fit one M.O.,” Bloomberg said in the recording. “You can just take the description, Xerox it and pass it out to all the cops. They are male, minorities, 16 to 25. That’s true in New York, that’s true in virtually every city.”
The clip circulated on social media and #BloombergIsARacist started trending on Twitter shortly after, The New York Times reported.
Bloomberg reportedly apologized for stop-and-frisk prior to announcing his bid for president. On the campaign trail this past week, he apologized again.
“I should have acted sooner and faster to stop it, and for that I apologize,” Bloomberg said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
On Feb. 15, the Washington Post published a report that highlighted Bloomberg’s history of being accused of making lewd and sexist remarks and fostering a hostile work environment for women employees.
Bloomberg’s campaign replied in a statement to the Post, saying Bloomberg “has always hired and promoted women into senior leadership roles in industries long dominated by men.”
Bloomberg’s remarks concerned Wilson and prompted him to ask if Woodards is considering rescinding her endorsement.
“I think Bloomberg is a monster, and I think his comments are terrible and he’s not fit to be president,” Wilson told The News Tribune in a phone interview. “... I would like it if my mayor wasn’t endorsing someone who thinks these things.”
At the very least, Woodards should respond to Bloomberg’s comments, Wilson said.
Deciding on Bloomberg
Woodards did so Tuesday night in an interview with The News Tribune.
She first addressed how she felt when she heard about the audio clip comments regarding stop-and-frisk.
“Absolutely, it upset me,” she said.
Then she shared a quote attributed to poet and activist Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
While she disagrees with the comments, she feels Bloomberg learned from his past.
“Human beings are not perfect. We all make mistakes,” she said. “What’s most important to me is when you get more information … you do something different ... I don’t believe there’s a candidate in this (presidential) race that hasn’t made a mistake.”
Woodards didn’t always endorse Bloomberg. In 2019, she was approached by various campaigns, including Bloomberg’s and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
But she already had a first choice: California Sen. Kamala Harris. Woodards met her last winter when Harris came to the Seattle area for a fundraiser. When Harris “looked her in the eye” and asked for her support, Woodards gave it.
“When I first talked to Mike’s people, I said, ‘I’m already going with Kamala,’” Woodards said.
When Harris dropped out of the presidential race in early December, Woodards said the realization settled in that Bloomberg had the best chance of beating President Donald Trump in the next election.
Woodards isn’t alone in her endorsement. Bloomberg has garnered more than 100 mayoral endorsements across the country, prompting inquires into his campaign strategy.
When asked if Bloomberg “bought” her endorsement, Woodards said that was not true and she was tired of hearing the claim.
“My endorsement is not for sale,” she said. “My endorsement is not for sale to anyone.”
Race equity, gun violence initiatives
Causes supported by Bloomberg align with Woodards’.
So far, Bloomberg has poured in more than $200 million for his campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission, the most collected behind Trump ($211 million) and Democrat presidential candidate Tom Steyer ($206 million).
In Washington state, Bloomberg has “contributed to more than $2 million to political committees focused on issues like gun control, carbon pricing, soda taxes and same-sex marriage,” according to The New York Times.
Woodards said she supports Bloomberg’s investment to reduce gun violence. Tacoma City Council passed a tax on guns and ammunition in November with the goal to reduce gun violence. The tax will go into effect this July.
Bloomberg also launched the Greenwood Initiative: Economic Justice for Black America earlier this year. The effort aims to “deliver economic justice and create generational wealth for Black Americans by addressing systematic bias and making strategic investments in communities and businesses,” according to his campaign website.
Woodards also pointed to the Young Men’s Initiative, which Bloomberg rolled out when he was mayor of New York in 2011, with the intent “tackle the broad disparities slowing the advancement of black and Latino young men.”
Woodards, who is black, said those initiatives are important to her.
She said as much at the opening of Bloomberg’s campaign office on Broadway in Tacoma earlier this month.
The Greenwood Initiative is “an economic agenda for African Americans — and I’m sorry, but that’s personal for me,” she said.
This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 5:30 AM.
