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New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been mostly quiet about which candidate he will endorse, and today he broke his silence.

Bloomberg, who has backed Republicans but belongs to the Independent party, announced his support for the re-election of President Obama, Thursday (Nov. 1). 

The determining factor in gaining his approval was Hurricane Sandy, which hit the East Coast as a tropical cyclone at the top of the week. While Bloomberg did not publicly ask for the president’s post-disaster assistance, he praised Obama as the leader to move the country in the right direction, as it relates to the environmental issue of climate change.

Bloomberg posted his thoughts via his website:

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.

Here in New York, our comprehensive sustainability plan – PlaNYC – has helped allow us to cut our carbon footprint by 16 percent in just five years, which is the equivalent of eliminating the carbon footprint of a city twice the size of Seattle. Through the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group – a partnership among many of the world’s largest cities – local governments are taking action where national governments are not.

Leadership Needed

But we can’t do it alone. 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, including setting higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks. His administration also has adopted tighter controls on mercury emissions, which will help to close the dirtiest coal power plants (an effort I have supported through my philanthropy), which are estimated to kill 13,000 Americans a year.

If it were 1994 or 2003, Bloomberg admitted that he wouldn’t have voted for Obama because he believes that the last four years have been  disappointing.”  What changed his mind was the president’s “important victories” on defining issues like education, and healthcare.

Although Mitt Romney didn’t walk away with his support, Bloomberg called the Republican nominee a good and decent man.

In related news, Rush Limbaugh is probably really unhappy about this turn of events.

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Photo: Getty