New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on
Thursday endorsed President Barack Obama for a second term.
The announcement came in an opinion
piece in Bloomberg News titled A Vote for a President to
Lead on Climate Change.
Bloomberg, a Republican turned
independent, said Hurricane Sandy's devastation “brought the stakes
of Tuesday's presidential election into sharp relief.”
“Our climate is changing. And while
the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City
and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk
that it might be – given this week's devastation – should compel
all elected leaders to take immediate action,” Bloomberg said.
“We need leadership from the White
House – and over the past four years, President Barack Obama has
taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption.”
He
added that Obama and his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, “offer
different visions of where they want to lead America.”
“One recognizes marriage equality as
consistent with America's march of freedom; one does not. I want our
president to be on the right side of history,” he said.