A crowd lines up outside Laney High School in Murrayville, just north of Wilmington. UNCW professor Edward Graham, center, wearing a brown jacket, said he attended President Trump's rally in the fall of 2016 at Trask Coliseum. Although Michael Bloomberg's rally on Saturday attracted a much smaller crowd -- and although he supported Trump in 2016 -- he said he would support a Bloomberg-Klobuchar ticket.
Beverly Murry, a UNCW student from the Outer Banks, puts on a Bloomberg sticker. "I’m a political science major at UNCW," Murry said. "I don’t support Mike Bloomberg, but I do support politics and I am a Democrat. So that’s why I’m here."
Campaign volunteer Lindsey Strope passes out Bloomberg shirts. "I’m not terribly surprised [that he came to Wilmington] because he’s been going to a lot of places, but I’m happy about that," Strope said. "It’s really exciting. I don’t know if any other major candidates are coming. It’s especially interesting that he wasn’t even on the ballot in South Carolina, but he is here."
A security professional for Mike Bloomberg keeps an eye on the crowd before the candidate's arrival.
Dana Baigrie and John Mihaltses, right, wait for the candidate's arrival. "I’ve been following Michael Bloomberg for a while, since I lived in New York seven or eight years ago," Mihaltses said. "I really liked how he creates policies based on science and facts, and listens to experts. As a local physician, I enjoy that that’s how he creates the policies that are going to bring us into the future."
"Now I think I'm the only candidate to come to Wilmington, but all of them should visit. Senator Warren could go to Elizabeth's Pizza on Market Street. Klobuchar could do a Flaming Amy's restaurant, and Senator Sanders could go to the KGB Bar," Bloomberg said, joking about recent reports that Bernie Sanders' campaign was being supported by Russia. "When my speech writer came up with that one I thought that was pretty good too."
New York Times journalist Thomas Kaplan, left, and The New Yorker's Eric Lach work at a table beside the stage as former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks to the crowd.
Alan and Maureen Abbate watch as Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg speaks to the crowd.
Michael Bloomberg addresses the crowd, criticizing President Donald Trump's response to the global caronavirus outbreak.
A member of the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office motorcycle unit, who will later help escort Bloomberg's SUV motorcade from the school campus, stands next to the journalist platform.
Noah Jones, a supporter of President Donald Trump and a former student of Laney High School, shows his opposition to Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg. "I think a lot of people who are supporting Mike Bloomberg are kind of following what everyone around them is saying, and they don’t really know that President Donald Trump is actually the way to go. I’m not saying that he’s a perfect person or he will always do right in his life, but he has done more good than he has done wrong, and he deserves a lot more credit than he is getting."
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg addresses a group of Laney High seniors before departing in an SUV, including Alex Redman, left of Bloomerg, and Jake Sblendorio to Bloomberg's right.
"I came out to see him but I didn’t think I would shake his hand, and I did. That was exhilarating; it was crazy," Laney High senior Alex Redman said. His friend, Jake Sblendorio, added, “It was cool talking to him; he definitely seemed like a genuine guy."
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg prepares to depart from Laney High School on Saturday afternoon.
Credits:
Port City Daily photos/Mark Darrough