Bloomberg Calls Reporter "A Disgrace" For Questioning Why He's Running For Third Term (VIDEO)

UPDATE: Azi Paybarah, the reporter scolded by Mayor Bloomberg, writes that mayoral spokesman Stu Loeser called "to relay an apology" from Bloomberg.

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is known for sometimes having a short temper with pesky reporters.

On Thursday, the mayor lost his cool when asked about his rationale for running for a third term as mayor, calling the inquiring reporter "a disgrace."

Since Bloomberg has been recently claiming that the city had turned the corner on the recession after citing the economic slump as his rationale for running again, the New York Observer's Azi Paybarah wanted to know how the mayor could justify his current campaign.

Bloomberg interrupted Paybarah: "Why don't you just get serious questions here?"

Then, he interrupted once more to add, "The rationale for extending term limits is the City Council voted it and the public's going to have a chance on Nov. 3 to say what they want."

"I don't think we have to keep coming back to that... If you have a serious question about the economy, I will be happy to answer it."

After ending the news conference, Bloomberg thanked everyone and stared at Paybarah, saying "You're a disgrace."

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Watch the video:

Paybarah's editor at the Observer, Josh Benson, told the NY Daily News:

"It was a reasonable question," Benson said.

"We're comfortable leaving it to everyone else to judge the quality of the response."

Earlier in the year, Bloomberg made headlines at another news conference when he lost his temper with a wheelchair-bound reporter whose tape recorder accidentally started playing after he was bumped by a photographer.

The mayor halted his speech, refusing to continue for 1 minute and 36 seconds, until the reporter, Michael Harris, fixed his recorder.

When legally-blind New York Governor David Paterson told a joke and New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn told the mayor, "He's disabled," Bloomberg snapped: "OK, I understand that - he can still turn it off."

The mayor later apologized to Harris.

Watch the video of the earlier encounter:

Comments

[cinesimon]

That doesn't seem like loosing one's cool to me: more like being a tad honest!

[chavo]

Bloomberg is really a piece of trash. He is no good, no good at all.

[dgh94104]

Bloomberg = Dictator. Term limits are put in place for a reason. Anyone brazen enough to have them overturned has no respect for the democratic process.

[Bitsko]

I hope he sent a fruit basket.

[wonketteRAWKS]

Arrogant SOB...oh yeah! That's exactly what he is!

[wadenelson1]

I'll tell ya what's a disgrace. That necktie.

[marthainmaine]

Barbara Walters likes Mayor Bloomberg and Henry Kissinger. I am too tired to connect the dots.

[Bitsko]

Babs likes anyone with money.

[MacManLB]

These reporters are too nice. The fourth estate needs to push back hard. There is no way he should have a third term. That's too much. Does he think he is a potentate?

[NYC07]

Bloomberg is nothing more than an arrogent S-O-B. And no one in the Democratic Party has the guts to challenge this petty dictator.

[bluejoewho]

I thought it was a very valid question. Bloomberg is a joke. When are people going to start electing people that look out for our interest?

[MaryscottOConnor]

No, mayor. You're a disgrace, for circumventing the voters of your city. I loathe term limits, but this one was imposed by the voters of NYC, and you used your power as mayor to get yourself another shot at a term you ought not legally get.

YOU are a disgrace.