New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) said Democrats are making a “terrible mistake” by focusing attacks on newly picked vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).
Bloomberg said he’s criticized both presidential candidates for pandering to their respective voting blocs rather than focus on issues.
“I don’t like most of what Paul Ryan suggests, but at least he has a concrete plan. And they’re all sniping at him, and I think the Democrats are making a terrible mistake,” Bloomberg said. “They are trying to frame this election about Paul Ryan, and in two days, they want the country to understand and in two days, all of these talking heads have made judgments and they know what’s going to happen.”
The mayor said each candidate should focus on what he’s going to do rather than on what the other guy’s going to do.
“Forty-five percent will vote for Romney, 45 percent will vote for Obama. That leaves 10 percent in the middle. That 10 percent isn’t dogmatic or ideological,” Bloomberg said. “They want answers to how they will feed their families, how their kids will get into college, how they will keep their house, how there’s going to be in their neighborhood people coming in and starting new stores and that sort of thing.”
“And I think this demagoguing and sending protesters to heckle somebody, you know, that’s old-line politics and people think it works. I do not,” he added.
Like Ryan, the mayor said, he also respects Vice President Joe Biden, “both of whom have real opinions and stand out and say what they believe.”
“Whether their bosses are happy about that, you’ll have to ask their bosses,” Bloomberg said.
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