The Bloomberg campaign was quick to shoot down President Donald Trump’s claim that the Democratic presidential candidate plans to use a box to boost his height at Friday’s Democratic debate. While Bloomberg may not mount a box later this week, the former New York City mayor used height-boosting boxes and modified podiums to boost his height throughout his mayoralty.
In a 2002 report on Bloomberg’s first mayoral press conference, the New York Daily News reported that Bloomberg used a box at his mayoral inauguration. “The box, however, ended up causing trouble; Bloomberg nearly fell while stepping off it as he returned to his seat,” the newspaper reported.
The same report indicated that the lectern at the front of the room was also shorter than the one used by Bloomberg’s predecessor, Rudy Giuliani, and while Bloomberg “alleges he’s in the ballpark of 5 feet 10,” he “is actually several inches shorter.” The city’s new mayor, the report said, is “somewhat sensitive about his height.”
Archival footage of Bloomberg’s inauguration is consistent with the Daily News‘s report. It does appear that the newly minted mayor stepped onto something behind the podium – READ MORE