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A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that New Yorkers still really like Mayor Bloomberg. While his approval rating slipped 2 points since the beginning of the year (from 75 to 73), Bloomberg can claim that the citizens of New York like him as a mayor more than they like Rudy Giuliani's reign as Hizzoner. Forty-six percent liked Bloomberg more than Giuliani; 34% felt they were the same, while 16% thought Giuliani was better. All the boroughs thought Bloomberg was better, although in Staten Island, 36% thought they were the same (35% liked Bloomberg better, 25% liked Giuliani better).
They even think he'd be a better president than Giuliani. Quinnipiac's Maurice Carroll analyzed the results:
"America's Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, doesn't score all that well where he really was the mayor. New Yorkers think Bloomberg is a better mayor than Giuliani and - how will this go over on the campaign trail? - that Bloomberg would be a better president."However, many New Yorkers disapproved of how he handled the school bus changes and the snow storm, just as we'd expect. It will be interesting to see what the polls say after a Sean Bell grand jury finding, but this much is clear: New Yorkers prefer a mayor who is business-minded, if not very empathetic, to a mayor who might be a touch fascist, if empathetic.
As for the approvals of other city leaders, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has a 51% approval rating (12% disapprove; 37% are undecided), City Comptroller William Thompson has a 43% approval rating (15% disapprove; 42% undecided), and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum has a 41% approval (19% disapprove; 40% undecided).
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Yuhgottabe kiddin me. I like bloomberg plenty. I think he is an excellent mayor. But Giulliani literally saved the city. Perhaps he is not as personable as Bloomberg, but remember that Bloomberg is governing a city that was in FAR better shape when it was turned over to him than Giulliani. The kind of problems he is faced with are nothing compared to the depravity that Mayor Giulliani stared down. It is an entirely unfair comparison.
I give my props to Mayor G, just by virtue of what he accomplished while in office. NYC wouldn't be the paradise it is today with out him.
I'll never be called a fan of David Dinkins, but let's have a moment of truth.
As for the often-cited drop in crime, people who have actually studied this (as opposed to some who think that Rudy walks on water) know that there was a similar drop in crime nationwide. There was also a much better and effective use of the Police, thanks to Chief William Bratton (whom Rudy fired because HE wanted the credit for everything good happening in NYC) and his strong right hand man, Jack Maple. There were more Police on the streets of NYC because Bill Clinton, along with balancing the Federal Budget, allocated funds for more than 100,000 more cops in America. (One of dozens of campaign promises he either met or exceeded... as opposed to the last few repug presidents, who have never kept a promise.) David Dinkins went after these funds and put them into the NYPD... but, of course, Rudy claimed that it was HE who got that funding. Of course, he also tried to give Bernie Kerik some of the credit for the effective use of the Police, but I think he's turned his back on that, too... as with everything else he ever stood for.
Darn! Ivy League Grunt said everything I was going to say
Let's hear it for pragmatic civic leaders! New York is a mature town with mature problems and really needs someone with a level head to guide it. Hot head mayors are great for the press and maybe even the image of New York itself (the world thinks we're all hot heads right?), but when you get down to it, New York is a complex machine that runs on a LOT of details and needs someone to pay attention to them every once in a while. Giuliani did save the city from total collapse and Bloomberg has built on that base and made the city stronger than ever. We have a lot to thank them both for. Maybe the rest of the country can learn from our success in the next presidential election. OKay maybe I am just delusional.
we won't love bloomberg in 15 years when we realize he started the sell-out trend that led to every neighborhood in manhattan getting replaced by rows of target, home depot, h&m, best buy, and duane reade/cvs
Well duh ! Fooliani was a pedantic prick ! Bloomberg's an insensitive prick that goes about his daily grind making money . (For the city that is )