Again, Tension at a Bloomberg Press Conference

By Azi Paybarah

Michael Bloomberg is continuing to have an unpleasant time with the reporters who cover him, even after attempting to change the way he does business with them. At a press conference in Lower Manhattan this afternoon about cutting health care benefits to stave off layoffs for at least 90 days, Bloomberg asked if there were any off-topic questions.

Here’s what one reporter asked: “Do you think it’s disgraceful for reporters in an open society to ask questions of people in power about their actions and motives?”

“I think we’re beyond that,” said Bloomberg. “Let's get on to the next thing.”

Before he could call on the next reporter, gadfly Rafael Martinez-Alequin yelled out, “Do you know the meaning of the word ‘disgrace’ in Spanish?”

The first question came from a reporter for Thomson Reuters.

Azi Paybarah can be reached via email at azi.paybarah@politickerny.com.