Believers, skeptics attend Bloomberg rally

In an aircraft hangar of the Tri-Cities Airport, presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg held a rally Friday in anticipation of Super Tuesday.

The primary focus of Bloomberg’s speech to the crowd was how he can defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Bloomberg spoke about what he believes to be the differences between himself and Trump. He spoke about his own support of topics such as climate change, trade wars affecting farmers and his stance on the the Second Amendment, which he said he believes in gun control reform.

“We can turn the page on a dangerous and ugly chapter in our country’s proud history, and we can write down the two most important words that need to be written about the Trump administration,” Bloomberg said. “Do you know what they are?”

“You’re fired,” one crowd member yelled.

“‘The end’, but ‘you’re fired’ would work fine,” Bloomberg said to the person.

The former New York City mayor also spoke to the crowd about Trump’s handling of the corona virus outbreak, stating that Trump has ignored and downplayed the situation.

“It isn’t just Trump’s fault, but it is fair to say that his failure to prepare is crippling our ability to respond now that it’s here in America,” he said.

Vicki Powers, a Johnson City resident and residency secretary for ETSU Family Physicians of Johnson City, and Amanda Finley of Unicoi County were among those called out by Bloomberg during the rally and called heroes for being part of the Moms Demand Action movement of the Tri-Cities.

Finley said her brother was killed by someone with a history of arrests who gained access to a firearm after being released from a mental hospital. She and Powers believe Bloomberg’s support of the movement will help bring reform to gun policy.

“We need him to help make a change in this country – not just for gun safety but for many other things, too,” Finley said.

Kyle Simcox, an ETSU sophomore, said he was a moderate Democrat and a Biden supporter before the rally. Simcox said he thinks it’s important for students to make sure to vote for America’s future.

“I really liked what Mike had to say,” Simcox said after the rally. “I’m definitely leaning a little bit more Bloomberg now. I liked what he had to say especially on gun policy. I liked what he had to say about climate and especially about the economy.”

Simcox attended with his conservative friend, who wanted to attend and hear what Bloomberg had to say at the rally.

“He’s a Republican, and I’m a Democrat, and we can get along,” Simcox said. “If I can get along with him, I think Democrats can also get along and look at other candidates. … I think it’s important for people to come out here, hear different sides, hear different perspectives and then make a vote based off what they have to hear.”

ETSU sophomore Zac Bishop said he thinks Bloomberg’s experience as mayor of New York City would make him a great president.

“I think that’s something that’s wrong in the White House right now, is that we don’t have a president who embraces diversity,” Bishop said. “I think it would be really great if we had a president that did considering we’re one of the most diverse countries.”

Former State Representative and Kingsport citizen Nathan Vaughn introduced Bloomberg during the rally. Vaughn explained that very few Democratic presidential candidates come to Northeast Tennessee, and he believes this shows the candidate’s potential impact on the area.

“Spending the resources and time and energy – it’s a big deal,” Vaughn told the East Tennessean after the rally. “I believe Mike has a great chance of becoming our next president, and I think it’s going to be a matter of him barnstorming this country and getting the word out.”

Vaughn said college students should vote for Bloomberg because the candidate is realistic about changes he can make in the country and his investments in education.

Christy and Stanley Dunbar are both Republicans of Johnson City who plan to cross party lines in the 2020 election.

“I’m a strong Republican, been a Republican all my life, and I think we have a president that hijacked the Republican party,” Stanley said. “He’s hurting our democratic institutions, and I think Bloomberg is our best choice on the other side.”

Alex Adams of Bristol was escorted out of the rally while Bloomberg was talking about farmers and the work he plans to do to help them. Adams began shouting “You don’t talk about farmers!” at that time and was escorted out by Marie Line with the campaign team.

Before the rally, Adams, a machinist and from a family of farmers, said he was attending to hear what Bloomberg had to say about abortion, gun rights, farmers and machinists. He also said he had family outside the rally who were protesting but did not come to listen during the event.

“They wonder why all the rednecks and all the hillbillies come to Trump,” he said. “He’s a billionaire, but he pulls toward us. Mike Bloomberg is so distant from us that he couldn’t even touch us with a stick.”

In total, 357 people – excluding volunteers, vendors and press – attended the rally, according to Line.