Vice President Joe Biden hailed Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to promote gun control as “contagious” while feting him Wednesday night with Bill and Hillary Clinton.
“Your passion about reducing gun violence in this country is something that has become contagious,” Biden said as he presented Bloomberg with the Clinton Global Citizen award at a mid town gala.
“One of the things that President Obama said at the memorial for the victims of the Navy Yard shooting is that change isn’t going to come on this issue from Washington, it’s going to come to Washington,” he said. “And when it does it will be … because Mike has sent it.”
Biden, who headed up the Obama administration’s gun control efforts, also hailed Bloomberg’s environmental policies and work on recovery from Hurricane Sandy. “If we had a couple hundred more Michael Bloombergs in public life today, we’d be a hell of a lot further down the road to meeting our potential in this country.”
Bloomberg returned the favor in his remarks, though he noted their gun control efforts are “not contagious enough yet.”
“If the federal government shuts down next week, don’t worry, come back to New York, and we’ll put you to work at City Hall.”
Hizzoner was honored alongside a 16-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot and nearly killed by the Taliban for advocating schooling for girls, and five other awardees.
“Tonight we honor individuals who exemplify the values of good citizenship,” said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who hosted the event alongside Bill and Chelsea Clinton. “A young woman who faced down violent extremists and inspired a mass movement with the simple act of going to school … a public servant whose independence and ingenuity helped this city recover from its darkest day and emerge greater, greener, and more cutting edge than ever.”
The former first lady got a nod from the teen activist, Malala Yousafzai, who was shot last year in Pakistan’s Swat Valley on her way home from school.
“Even in America, even in America people are waiting for a woman president!” she said after ticking off struggles of women in countries around the world. Cameras in the room zoomed in on a laughing Clinton, who is widely expected to make a 2016 presidential run, to huge cheers from the crowd.
“I am one of those children who have seen terrorism, poverty, injustice and inequality,” said Yousafzai. “Girls were stopped from going to schools and women were banned to go to market.
“We raised our voice for the education of every child, and now …schools are reopened and many girls are going back to schools.”
The young activist made a plea for nonviolence in countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“I hope that governments and all responsible people will realize that we cannot end war with war,” she said. “Instead of sending guns, send books. Instead of sending tanks, send pens. Instead of sending soldiers, send teachers.”
The star-studded gala featured actors Ben Affleck and America Ferrera, musician Elvis Costello and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan.
Also honored was New Yorker Jessamyn Rodriguez, whose nonprofit East Harlem bakery Hot Bread Kitchen in East Harlem doubles as a workforce development program.
