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Well, we can at least say that the mayoral race this year is good for uncomfortable laughs at the candidates' expense. After yesterday's interesting NY Times article about campaign year gaffes politicians haven't been able to shake and thereby lost elections, Gothamist is eager to see what else should happen. For instance, yesterday was supposed to be a good day for the embattled Fernando Ferrer, as there was a press conference announcing State Comptroller Carl McCall's support. But it turned kinda sucky when it became a discussion about Ferrer's Amadou Diallo shooting remarks - McCall made it clear he disagreed with Ferrer on that note. The Daily News' Juan Gonzalez thinks the political journalists are confusing the issue because Ferrer never did flip-flop, but it almost seems too late to argue that.
NYC Candidates and Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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It's truly baffling why Ferrer said what he said, yet he was arrested in '99 for protesting the killing of DIallo. Ferrer's actions show that he supported the Diallo protests, but his words said the opposite.
But on another issue (equal rights for gays), Bloomberg says he's for it, but acted against it.
What's up with these guys?
So I guess the question is, which matters more - words or actions?
It's pretty telling, actually. I saw him speak at a candidates' forum last week, and he started blaming Bloomberg for everything that's gone wrong with the subways in the last few months, knowing full well that the Mayor has extremely limited control over the MTA.
You combine that with the Diallo stuff, and it shows you that the guy will say or do absolutely anything to get elected. So he's full of crap, and he's pandering, and quite frankly, that's not going to translate into a good mayor.
I agree with Jim. If there's one thing that spells doom for this city, it's a pandering politico. I think we've all found out through painful experience that we need someone who is strong, even willfull and not afraid to do what they want to do because they think it's good for the city. Sometimes that vision doesn't work out, but a lot of the time it does. Let's not screw this up just over some kneejerk Jets stadium backlash people.
yes, let's not vote for pandering politicos--hmm, and bloomie's photo ops with lenora fulani at an event sponsored bythe cult she works for --that wasn't pandering at all.
A politician who panders? Shock! Horror! Definitely Ferrer was pandering, but if we got rid of all the people in power who pandered, there'd be nobody left.
Consider what all the candidates were doing back in 1999 during the Diallo controversy. Bloomberg--nothing. Miller--not much. Fields--defended Giuliani. Ferrer--was arrested protesting the police commissioner and Giuliani.
So Ferrer was arrested fighting in the name of Diallo, and you're calling Bloomberg a stronger leader because he fights for a stadium.
Hey, I never said Bloomberg was a stronger leader, I just said that seeing Ferrer speak evoked a visceral reaction and put me firmly in the "not voting for him" camp, at least for the primary. Maybe it's leftover anger from 2004, I don't know. But hearing him do that really pissed me off.
There's a lot of things I don't like about Ferrer, but like I said, it doesn't mean I'm voting for Bloomberg.
Gotcha-
But what if it winds up essentially being Ferrer v. Bloomberg (assuming others really won't have a chance of winning)?
Bloomie is the king of pandering politicos in this town.
Form NY1
A 1995 Anti-Defamation League report quotes Lenora Fulani as saying Jews “had to sell their souls to acquire Israel and are required to do the dirtiest work of capitalism – to function as mass murderers of people of color – in order to keep it.”
During an appearance on “The Road to City Hall” on NY1 Wednesday night, Fulani said she couldn't remember making the comment, but she still defended it.
“What I'm saying is that as a leftist and as a progressive, many people have been concerned about the role of the state of Israel relative to the Palestinian people, the fight,” she said. “I've supported a two-state solution. I'm a leftist. I'm a progressive. I'm not an anti-Semite. And that quote, in my opinion, isn't anti-Semitic; it's raising issues that I think need to be explored.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Congressman Charles Rangel both appeared on stage with Fulani Monday at a charity event she sponsored. The Independence line gave Bloomberg his margin of victory in 2001, and the mayor donated at least a quarter of a million dollars to Fulani's party last year.
Then my head will explode.
Honestly, watching Freddy's campaign, I'm not too too concerned about it. I have a nagging suspicion the primary will play out the same way as in 2001--Ferrer wins, but doesn't get enough to get to a runoff, and Miller takes it in the runoff. Especially after seeing her speak, I'm not convinced Fields is in to win--I think she's angling for another spot, raising her profile for another race. Weiner's got some great ideas, but he's too far out of it, and he could be setting himself up for another run, as well.