Bloomberg and Chicago's Mayor Stand Together, Except on Trans Fat

CHICAGO — Mayor Bloomberg traveled to Chicago yesterday with two goals in mind: To promote his campaign against guns and to raise money for Senator Lieberman's re-election bid.

Mr. Bloomberg stood behind a table crammed with assault weapons, handguns, and semi-automatic guns confiscated by Chicago police during the latest of his cross-country jaunts to push for one of his high-profile agenda items.

He also took out time in the Windy City to pick up an award for his gun control efforts, to drum up money for the Connecticut lawmaker, and even to reiterate his support for a trans fat ban at New York City restaurants.

At police headquarters, Mr. Bloomberg and Chicago's mayor, Richard Daley, kicked off a one-day conference of mayors against illegal guns — a coalition started by Mr. Bloomberg that now has more than 100 mayors nationwide.

The conference is one of several Mr. Bloomberg announced earlier this month. Next month similar events will be held in Boston and Atlanta, and in January the mayors will go to Washington, D.C., for a gun "summit."

During today's conference, officials from 22 Midwestern municipalities, including Detroit and Milwaukee, will share police and prosecution techniques on combating illegal weapons.

For his work on gun violence prevention, Mr. Bloomberg was presented with an award last night from the Illinois Coalition Against Handgun Violence.

"Cities can lead where Congress won't," Mr. Bloomberg told reporters yesterday. "There's nothing partisan about this. Both Democrats and Republicans ought to be ashamed."

Politics wasn't overlooked yesterday. While in Chicago, Mr. Bloomberg co-hosted a fund-raiser for Mr. Lieberman, who is battling to keep his seat. He said he disagreed with the senator on some issues, but reiterated that Mr. Lieberman "stands up for what he believes and that's what is important."

Messrs. Bloomberg and Daley shared nothing but praise for one another —Mr. Bloomberg even offered congratulations to Mr. Daley for the recent hiring of manager Lou Piniella by the Cubs — except on one point. Mr. Bloomberg has proposed banning trans fats from restaurants, while Mr. Daley has scoffed at a similar measure in Chicago.

Still, Mr. Bloomberg noted that on most other issues the men are of like minds. "You'd have to go down to trans fats to find an issue I disagree on with Mayor Daley."