storyThe 77-year-old American billionaire, former mayor of New York, does not look at the expense and multiplies the advertising spots to win the Democratic nomination for the presidential election in November.
Michael Bloomberg arrived on foot this Sunday, December 29, 2019, in an opulent housing estate in Fort Bend County, in the suburbs of Houston (Texas). Blue shirt and red tie, tassel moccasins, the Democratic nomination contestant heads to the small welcoming committee of 75. He does not smile, constantly blows his nose, speaks little to his interlocutors, whose hand he does not always shake. The atmosphere is warm in this variegated audience – Whites, Afros, Latinos -, but Michael Bloomberg, 77, seems to be living a ordeal.
Eighth American fortune (nearly 60 billion dollars, or 54.5 billion euros), according to the classification Forbes, "Mike," as his supporters call him, begins by snacking with activists in the party house of county Democratic leader Cynthia Ginyard. "So we have to go for a walk and shake a few hands", notes, resigned, the candidate.
"Mike" goes out with four elected officials, approaches a house. It is 1:31 p.m. "It’s me who rings", emboldened Mr. Bloomberg. The residence was chosen with caution. "The campaign team checked that they were democrats, we didn't want to be shut in the door", says Mme Ginyard. The billionaire is greeted by the hostess. "I was preparing dinner. " At 1.34 p.m., second door. No time to ring, the host opens "spontaneously". "Hello, I'm Michael Bloomberg. "
In the third house, the interlocutor laughs sympathetically: "Mike Bloomberg, like THE Mike Bloomberg? " The former mayor of New York makes "tope-là" with the children, a rare gesture that he knows how to do spontaneously in the countryside. No one answers the fourth house. At 1:47 p.m., the wandering is over.
The candidate will say a few words to the handful of journalists present: a local cameraman from Fox News, a CBS reporter and the special envoy of the World. Michael Bloomberg is not researching the media: the move was announced the day before at 2:30 p.m. As a result, it was difficult for the press to arrive on the east coast, 2,500 km away. In the morning, he attended a Protestant service, accompanied by Sylvester Turner, African-American mayor of Houston, and inaugurated campaign offices. Without media.
The candidate does not care a bit: he multiplies private meetings with decision-makers, especially mayors, while his meetings in reduced format, like that of Fort Bend, are used to feed his campaign site. Images and words intended to be bombarded to voters in the form of very well done advertisements.
