MIKE BLOOMBERG'S REMARKS IN WEST PALM BEACH ON SUPER TUESDAY
Remarks as delivered
“Well hello, Florida. What a crowd! Thank you all for coming!
“Judy and I were just going to sit at home tonight, her at her home, I at mine, watch a little television, have a drink or two. But I do want to thank Judge Judy – isn’t she amazing?
“And also a big thanks to all the elected officials and Florida leaders supporting our campaign including: Mayors Manny Diaz, Phil Levine, Bob Buckhorn, Keith James, and Congress Members Ted Deutch and Stephanie Murphy. Let’s hear it for them.
“It’s great to be here in this beautiful state. I know you’re not used to seeing a New Yorker in Southern Florida in late winter. But unlike the President, I didn’t come here to golf or to reveal classified information to Mar-a-Lago members.
“I came here because winning in November starts with Florida. And if I’m the nominee, let me make you this promise: we will beat Donald Trump here in Florida and in swing states around the country.
“Tonight, the polls are still open in a number of Super Tuesday states – and as the results come in, here’s what is clear: no matter how many delegates we win tonight, we have done something no one thought was possible.
“In just three months, we’ve gone from 1 percent in the polls to being a contender for the Democratic nomination for president.
“All across America, I’ve been talking with voters. And my message is simple: I am running to beat Donald Trump and to start rebuilding our country. And to start getting things done.
“And I mean big, important things: like stopping gun violence, and fighting climate change, and finally achieving affordable health coverage for all Americans.
“This is a campaign for change – a campaign for sanity, for honesty, a campaign for inclusion, compassion, for competence, and a campaign for human decency.
“And this is a campaign to bring our country back together and put the United back in the United States of America.
“That’s the message I’ve been delivering not only to Democrats, but also to swing voters who will actually decide who will be our next president.
“And tonight, we proved something very important. We proved we can win the voters who will decide the general election. And isn’t that what this is all about?
“Now, while my fellow candidates spent a whole year focusing on the first four states, I was out campaigning against Donald Trump in the states where the election will actually be decided like Wisconsin, and Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and North Carolina, and of course, Florida.
“President Obama proved that a Democrat can win all of those states – but in 2016, we lost them all. Well, I’m running to win them back. And together, we are going to get it done.
“Now, we all know Trump’s strategy: attack Democrats, make their plans look unrealistic, unaffordable, and undoable. That won’t work against us.
“Our plans are sensible, workable, and achievable. And we have the record and the resources to defeat Trump in swing states the Democrats lost in 2016 – like Florida.
“I know we can do it, and you know who else knows it? Donald Trump. That’s why he keeps attacking us on Twitter. Today he sent a Tweet out urging people not to vote for us. Gee, I wonder why?
“Clearly, Trump is scared stiff of facing us – and for good reason. In every campaign I ran for mayor, we built a broad coalition that brought Democrats and independents and moderate Republicans together.
“Donald Trump the other day called me short. I said Donald, where I come from we measure people from the neck up. That’s how we’re going to beat Donald Trump.
“I believe we need a leader who is ready to be Commander in Chief – not College Debater in Chief. So if you want someone who talks turkey and who has a record of accomplishment on all the big issues facing our country, and who has the resources to beat Trump, I’m your guy.
“While Trump tweets – I follow facts, respect data, and tell the truth. My whole career, I have been a doer, and I believe we need less talk, less partisanship, less division, less tweeting. In fact, how about no tweeting from the Oval Office ever again?
“Now, you’ve all heard our campaign slogan: Mike will get it done. Well, let me tell you what the ‘it’ is. It means winning this November and sending Donald Trump back to Mar-a-Lago, permanently.
“But that’s just the beginning. Because getting it done means finally providing health insurance to every American who lacks it.
“Getting it done means passing common-sense gun safety laws that protect our children and communities.
“Getting it done means making America a global leader in the fight against climate change.
“Getting it done means creating good jobs with higher wages.
“Getting it done means addressing discrimination and inequality.
“Getting it done means creating a path to citizenship – and finally fixing our broken immigration system.
“And getting it done means protecting a woman’s right to choose.
“Our campaign is a fight for America’s ideals and values. It’s a fight to build a better future, for everyone – not to bring back a past that left so many out. It’s a fight we cannot afford to lose.
“So I need your help – and I need your vote. And when you talk to your friends and family, just tell them: if you want quality health insurance for everyone and not just empty promises, if you want to combat inequality with fairer taxes and better jobs, if you support my commitment to public education no matter what zip code you live in, if you share my belief in opportunity for all and not just for a few, if you are ready to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, and if you are ready to clean out the Oval Office and get things done – then welcome to Bloomberg 2020. Thank you.”
