Booker Backs Bloomberg

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's re-election bid got a little love Friday from Cory Booker, the popular mayor of New Jersey's largest city.

Booker, Newark's Democratic mayor, endorsed the billionaire independent at an appearance Friday in Harlem.

Booker, whose approval rating in a recent poll was 83 percent, has had a friendly relationship with Bloomberg ever since taking office in 2006.

Booker recently has been grappling with the same problems facing all urban mayors -- he recently announced pay cuts and furloughs to reduce expenses in the city's budget.

Bloomberg has made similar moves, slashing billions from the budget and announcing layoffs. He has said his experience as a former CEO and billionaire businessman give him the expertise necessary to guide the city away from economic disaster.

Booker, whose political career grew out of community organizing, often draws comparisons to President Barack Obama.

His endorsement of Bloomberg could be a blow to the Democratic front-runner in New York City, William Thompson Jr., who has said he wants to build a campaign movement like the one created by Obama.

Thompson's campaign released a statement responding to the endorsement.

"I respect Mayor Booker, but hard-working people who actually live in New York know that we need change and that Michael Bloomberg offers four more years of the same," the statement said.

"New Yorkers are looking for new leadership, real results and a mayor that has a genuine understanding of the needs of all New Yorkers."