TVNewser has obtained an email sent by Michael Bloomberg in which he apologizes for his comments in a meeting last week about the future of the afternoon politics show “With All Due Respect” hosted by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.
“My jocular comparison of [Halperin and Heilemann] to the Nixon-era political operatives who had a reputation for being tough, direct and edgy, was thought disparaging by some. It was not meant that way; and in retrospect, perhaps I should have expected someone to take it out of the light-hearted spirit in which it was meant,” Bloomberg writes.
The billionaire businessman and former New York City mayor, who dismissed his own plans at a run for the White House in March, says he’s become “a devotee” of the political show, but admits its future on his TV network is not known: “What the future holds for WADR, Bloomberg Politics, and them, we will determine after the election season.”
Here’s the email:
From: Michael Bloomberg
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 2:12 PM
Reply To: MRB
Subject: Bloomberg PoliticsIn a private, internal, off-the-record discussion on the future of political news coverage after the current horse race is over, some apparently took exception to my speculation as to what will have popular appeal.
Only the future will tell that story.
As to our current programming, I’ve become a devotee of “With All Due Respect” and have it playing on my desk virtually every day. Our reporters, editors and producers on WADR and for Bloomberg Politics on the terminal and web are doing a tremendous job covering the hugely important story of the presidential election. I appreciate all of their hard work, with more to come. John and Mark are talented, “take no prisoners,” hard-hitting, honest journalists who call things as they see them. What the future holds for WADR, Bloomberg Politics, and them, we will determine after the election season. I pointed out that they will have myriad opportunities to tell the story they cover for us across our platforms — and that does not preclude continuing WADR as is on Bloomberg TV.
My jocular comparison of them to the Nixon-era political operatives who had a reputation for being tough, direct and edgy, was thought disparaging by some. It was not meant that way; and in retrospect, perhaps I should have expected someone to take it out of the light-hearted spirit in which it was meant. And I could have been more artful in how I phrased it. As I said in the meeting, I am sorry that I said something that was perceived as disparaging. Now let’s get back to covering this election with one of the best teams in the business.
Mike