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Bloomberg Gets Emotional While Speaking Before Civic Group

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- After nearly 12 years of running New York City with a steely reserve, Mayor Michael Bloomberg got a little choked up Thursday while addressing a group at the Association for a Better New York.

In a rare moment of openness into his personal life, Bloomberg talked about the impending birth of daughter Georgina's son near Christmas, CBS 2's Marcia Kramer reported.

"Georgina is going to make a wonderful mother and I'm looking forward to holding the baby in my arms and looking into his eyes saying to him 'this is your generation's city now. It's the greatest city in the world, don't screw it up,'" he said.

He urged the audience to "remember our values.''

"That's what I want more than anything else for my little grandson and all the generations to come," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg also wanted the assembled guests to know that he's not just some billionaire technocrat, saying he's capable of doing baby duty and doesn't shy from the toughest parts, Kramer reported.

"I am fully competent to change diapers if anybody wants to know," Bloomberg said. "As a matter of fact, George won't like me for saying this but I changed her diapers."

Bloomberg got emotional again when talking about the meaning of the Statue of Liberty.

"The lady who stands in our harbor holding aloft the lamp of liberty is more than a symbol of American freedom," he said. "She is our city's patron saint."

The mayor said he's trying to call the families of the 69 people -- firefighters, sanitation workers, cops and other city employes -- who have died on his watch.

"And say, 'look, I'm thinking about your lost husband, child, parents,' whatever and say 'I'm not going to forget,'" Bloomberg said.

The mayor also touted accomplishments, from a drop in crime, to sweeping public health reforms and the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan after 9/11.

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