Shocker: Bloomberg Was in Bermuda as Blizzard Approached

Remember all the chatter about Chris Christie leaving for Florida when the December 26 blizzard hit the northeast? Look who else was out of town. In fact, out of the country.

Just where Mr. Bloomberg was over the Christmas weekend, as a snowstorm bore down on New York City, remains a mystery, prompting intense speculation in the New York press, even now.

Mr. Bloomberg and his aides refuse to talk about it. But the residents of Bermuda have taken no such vow of silence.

They say that Mr. Bloomberg’s plane arrived on the island, where he owns a large waterfront vacation home, sometime after midnight on Christmas morning. They spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of inflaming the mayor and the local authorities, who prize discretion for visiting dignitaries.

The mayor’s public schedule shows that he attended a Mass late in the evening on Dec. 24 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. After that, he did not re-emerge in New York City until about 4 p.m. on Dec. 26.

It was, locals said, a spectacular time to be in Bermuda. Weather reports show a high of 65 degrees on Dec. 25 and an “above normal” temperature of 69 on Dec. 26. One resident called that day “gorgeous.” Back in New York City, it was considerably colder, hitting 32 and 30, respectively, with snow on the way.

Judging by his response the the blizzard, he should have just phoned it in from Bermuda.

Whatever the case, he was back in New York later Sunday, much to the surprise of some. Still, why is there any secrecy as to where he was?

A person with ties to the Bermuda aviation system recalled chuckling, several hours after Mr. Bloomberg’s plane had left, when the mayor appeared on television in New York City, talking about the snow.

“I didn’t think he had gotten there yet,” the person said.