Results tagged “campaign”

When the smoke clears from Albany's latest inept attempt to get a grip on the budget crisis, one casualty will likely be the state's anti-smoking campaign. Governor Paterson, a committed proponent of the anti-smoking program, has nevertheless proposed a $10 million cut in order to help address a $3.2 billion deficit. The cutback would reduce funding for programs that provide free nicotine patches and help Medicaid patients quit smoking, among other things. Naturally, the cigarette industry and its allies are passing around the cigars.

A week after Mayor Bloomberg's narrower-than-expected victory, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens) has come out of the woodwork claiming that he could have defeated the incumbent. The Congressman — who abandoned his short-lived Mayoral campaign in May — claims that in order to win, Bloomberg would have needed to spend at least $150 million (about $50 million more than the Mayor's record-breaking campaign expenditures).

They say he runs the city like a business, so it's only fitting that after a poorer-than-expected performance in last week's election, Mayor Bloomberg's campaign workers are afraid they won't get big bonuses this year. In past elections, the billionaire former bond trader and media mogul has paid out-of-pocket bonuses of as much as $400,000 — "a highly unusual perk in municipal politics, a world not typically associated with lavish pay," the Times reports. But after defeating Democratic rival Bill Thompson by just 4.6 percentage points, campaign workers are starting to worry about paltry bonuses.

If you awoke this morning with a parking ticket on your windshield, look closely, because the reviled orange and white leaflet might actually be a piece of last-minute campaign literature. In what he calls "guerilla campaigning," Republican City Council candidate Joe Nardiello has been placing fake parking tickets that double as campaign literature on cars in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Kensington, Windsor Terrace and Borough Park.

The NY Times' article on mayoral challenger Comptroller Bill Thompon's campaign suggests that it's not the shipshape operation that the Bloomberg campaign runs. (Of course, Bloomberg is throwing tens of millions into his effort.) Amid the different examples, it's noted Thompson's political director Tweeted, "Mommy, can I stay home from school today?" and the policy director Facebooked, "Why is it that I continue to do this work?" (the policy director later quit; he tells the Times, "to suggest that such a generic gripe speaks to some deeper issue is simply silly").

Mayor Bloomberg and former mayor Rudy Giuliani are becoming buddies on the campaign trail, but they're rivals when it comes to baseball. The Mayor and his predecessor are squabbling over coveted seats in the box beside the Yankees dugout at the American League Championship Series, according to Page Six, which reports that the competition for "front-row supremacy" on Friday will be almost "almost as exciting as the contest on the field." We're not so sure about that, but it's certainly interesting in light of the fact that Bloomberg declared that Giuliani would make a good governor at this week's mayoral debate.

There's no stopping Mayor Bloomberg from buying another term, so it's not like he has to win anybody's approval. Still, it's nice to see he's at least making an effort, rolling out the campaign promises just like any other average Joe politician. In an Op-Ed in one of the tabloids today, Bloomberg asks, "How would you like to use your mobile device to see a map of available parking spaces in your neighborhood—and also use it to pay your meter? Or how about getting a text message as your meter is about to expire, so you can get back to your car before getting a ticket?" It's a start... but can these new meters give us back rubs too, like the ones in Japan?

Move over Bloomberg, there's a new billionaire in town, and he's just as old, white and male. His big plans include bringing subway fares down to a nickel by including cattle and bulk freight transportation through our underground system. Don't ask questions, it just makes sense! And who can naysay his plan to sell Staten Island to New Jersey?

Little Italy is fighting back against Tucker Max's controversial ad campaign. Yeah, that poster on the right says, "Blind Girls Never See You Coming." Va fan culo, indeed.

That controversial Grand Street bike lane, beloved by cyclists and loathed by some business owners because it makes receiving deliveries onerous, now has a new enemy: Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson. The comptroller was in Chinatown doing some pandering campaigning yesterday when he announced that, if elected, he would tear up that dedicated bike lane, which is buffered from traffic by a row of motor vehicle parking. Thompson told voters, "I'm in favor of bike lanes but you can't put bike lanes in without speaking to the community. You can't put bike lanes that are doing damage to local businesses."

Do you enjoy soda and other delicious sugary beverages? If so, you may as well raise a cup of human fat to your lips and chug, according to a new public awareness campaign by the NYC Health Dept. The print ads depict, in graphic detail, human fat mottled with blood vessels being poured from a bottle of cola; a plastic "sports" drink bottle that looks like Gatorade; and a glass bottle of iced tea resembling Snapple, New York City's "official beverage."

The 14-year-old daughter of City Councilman Bill de Blasio is featured in a nice family photo on the website for de Blasio's public advocate campaign. But don't let her innocent smile fool you—teenage Chiara loves guns, and de Blasio doesn't want voters to know about it. It's been revealed that in the original photo, Chiara was wearing a gun-shaped pendant, which was subsequently airbrushed away when the photo was pimped out for campaign literature. When confronted about the cover-up by the Daily News, de Blasio explained, "Our daughter made a mistake in putting on a necklace that was inappropriate. I made a decision to take it out of any literature and she will not be wearing it in the future." But Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics is troubled, because who knows what else de Blasio is hiding? Are those even his children? Still, Sabat gives Chiara a pass on her gun fetish, because "you never blame a 14-year-old—they all do silly, rebellious things, and I guess that's what it was. She's 14. Who cares?" Well, easy for him to say; he doesn't have to generate news content in August.

Besides his pitiful poll numbers, Democrats are concerned about another 2010 matter of Governor Paterson's—his campaign money. According to the NY Times, they "worry that Mr. Paterson has not shown discipline in managing his campaign spending or his overall strategy"; the governor has just $5.4 million while Attorney General Cuomo has basically double that. The Times lists many expenses, such as the consultants: Entertainment lawyer and friend "Lisa E. Davis...pulls in $5,000 a month. The governor paid $15,000 to Global Strategy, a consulting firm also used by Eliot Spitzer, before severing his ties with the company. He briefly turned to Judy Smith, a Washington consultant, whose firm was paid $30,000; they parted ways after Ms. Smith was linked to the Paterson administration’s smear campaign against Caroline Kennedy following her aborted Senate candidacy, an episode that damaged the governor’s image." Shouldn't Paterson get a refund on that? A recent hire, Tracy Sefl, "whose firm is paid $20,000 a month, said Mr. Paterson’s new team is committed to keeping expenses down." Expenses like "$1,600 for lodging two staff members on two nights at the Beach House Inn on Shelter Island"?

       

Seriously, this guy? Alright, so this is happening, living tourist attraction Naked Cowboy has officially announced he's running for Mayor of New York City.

Back in March we learned about just how many people don't stand up for people with disabilities while riding public transit. At the time, NYC Transit's Paul Fleuranges told us about a new campaign coming up, and now CityRoom points out that it's launched. With a firmer tone than the ads have had in the past, the new posters remind straphangers that not all disabilities are visible, and declare that giving up one's seat is "not only polite, it’s the law." Fleuranges commented that "It's the first time we've really stressed this," and warned that those who won't give up their seat on request will face up to a $50 fine. But with robotic trains, a slimmed down staff, and no one on hand to even gauge the effectiveness of the campaign, how will it even be enforced on subways?

[UPDATE BELOW] You do know that if gay marriage becomes legal in New York, your children will be instantly turned gay by their crusading queer teachers, right? And according to this eye-opening new TV commercial, "it's not just kids who face consequences. The rights of people who believe marriage means a man and a woman will no longer matter. We’ll have to accept gay marriage whether we like it or not." Oppressed straight couples, Albany will never respect your rights if you don't stand up now!

In an Op-Ed in today's Times explaining his aborted mayoral campaign, Rep. Anthony Weiner explains that, unsurprisingly, Mayor Bloomberg's godly fortune had a little something to do with it: "The Supreme Court decision in 1976 in Buckley v. Valeo, which allows candidates to spend however much they want on their own races, makes it possible for billionaires to swamp middle-class candidates. In this case, a sports analogy is apt: If one football team has 110 players on the field, the team with 11 has a hard time getting through the blocking and tackling on the crowded turf."

After suspending his mayoral campaign in March, representative Anthony Weiner has decided to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination, according to a scoop in City Hall News. Democratic Party officials have been increasingly throwing their support behind Controller William Thompson—with the notable exception of Long Island Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat, who today announced her endorsement of Mayor Bloomberg. Weiner spent Memorial Day weekend attending three parades, a burst of activity that could have been interpreted as campaign appearances, but a source tells City Hall News that Weiner will formally announce his withdrawal tomorrow. His exact reasons for dropping out are not yet known, but Bloomberg's God-like affluence certainly played a factor. Though the Post had been gleefully attacking the six-term congressman in recent months, it's doubtful their smears broke his will to run; as the Daily News puts it, Weiner "wakes up in the morning looking for a fight." His withdrawal leaves just Thompson and Council Member Tony Avella to fight over the Democratic nomination.

After Rep. Anthony Weiner revealed his hesitance about running for mayor this fall, reporters asked Mayor Bloomberg if his wealth was intimidating to other potential candidates. The mayor, the 17th richest man in the world, is reportedly spending $80 million (or 0.5% of his wealth) on his campaign. Politicker NY, which has video of the extended answer, reports that Bloomberg said, "There’s no evidence to me that there are fewer candidates running... We don’t preclude you from running because you got a better education than I did or are better looking or more photogenic.” Related: The NY Times' Clyde Haberman explains Bloomberg's "we love rich people" remark by way of the Mayor's budget data that "show... people earning $500,000 or more a year make up 1 percent of New York taxpayers but account for nearly 50 percent of the income taxes that the city collects."

A reader sent along these photos from the E train, saying, "I am sure that they are fakes and that they are making fun of the current Keep it Going NYC campaign." We asked an NYC Transit spokesman if they were fakes, to which he replied, "I have no idea." Smells like a renegade campaign to us! And unlike the KeepNewYorkMoving ad campaign, it's not asking Albany for funding, but criticizing both Governor Paterson for his budget cuts and the MTA for its proposed fare hikes and service cuts.

Remember the other day how Councilman Bill de Blasio was all, 'Leave billboards ALONE!' because, he says, the Department of Buildings has been slapping billboard owners with huge fines over supposedly minor infractions? And some of you cynics in the audience were quick to insinuate that the honorable gentleman from Park Slope was only making a stink because he's in bed with the outdoor signage industry? Well, maybe you were right. Just days after calling attention to the vast hardships endured by billboard owners, de Blasio, who is running for public advocate, has accepted $8,000 in campaign donations from billboard companies, the Post reports. Not too shabby! Maybe this will motivate de Blasio to finally do something to protect the poor tobacco industry and persecuted fast food restaurants and the defenseless auto industry?

Recently the New York label Supreme posterbombed neighborhoods with their Spring/Summer 2009 campaign. The posters are simple, featuring a photo of musician Lou Reed (shot by Terry Richardson) wearing a Supreme t-shirt (accessorized with aviator sunglasses and a smug expression). Street artist Faile has now altered the images, with a tiger face in place of Lou's, and the word "Vanity" in place of "Supreme." Upgrade?

How many billionaires does turn a third party into a contender? At least two, according to the Post, which says that Mayor Michael Bloomberg and upstate businessman Tom Golisano are working to "revamp the state Independence Party as an 'issues oriented' group focusing on government reform."

Hey pescatarians (that means you too, "vegetarians" who eat fish), you are officially on PETA's radar. Newsday is reporting that "in attempt to pressure consumers with guilt, the group wants fish to be rebranded as 'sea kittens'." They've launched a website and set up a fact sheet about sea kittens, saying they feel pain and affection.

Woah, can you believe the election is only four days away? And even though that Obama has been busy making sure the drapes match the carpet in the Oval Office, a Fox News poll shows the two candidates almost tied! So if you want to volunteer to support the candidate of your choice—whether it be the bitter old warmonger on death's door and his demagogic running mate, or the most inspiring, perspicacious American politician in generations—here are some ways you can get involved.

The longest campaign on record has taken a heavy toll on political reporters, according to a funny article in The New Republic. Marriages are frayed, lifestyles are unhealthy, and now they're freaking out about adjusting to civilian life come next Wednesday. Times reporter Matt Bai says, "There are guys who went out to the primaries in November, December, and thought they'd be done in February or March, and they just never came home. They never came home." The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza describes the Obama campaign plane: "It felt like the Lord of the Flies in there. The people who have been there for a long time have all of their little decorations and knickknacks all over the back of the plane. Everyone's a little grumpy and territorial, and there's this sense of people thrown together who have been with each other way too long. I got the sense that I was dropping in on a hostage-captor situation." But who knows, maybe the election will be contested like in 2000 and they won't have to face the real world just yet.

The Siena Research Institute says Barack Obama's lead in NY has grown to 62% over John McCain's 31%. As it happens, Siena also reported last month that Obama's lead over McCain was just 5 points. The poll also found the nearly eight in 10 New York residents agree with Governor Paterson that the economy is as bad at the Great Depression. In other political news, the ATF reports that it stopped a skinhead plot to kill Obama and other blacks, some doofus has a Sarah Palin effigy outside a house in Los Angeles, every day is voting day with early voting and radio ads has made a comeback thanks to campaign ads, which have also lined the pockets of local and network TV shows.

The McCain/Palin campaign is having zero luck with their song choices. Following Heart, Survivor, the Foo Fighters, John Mellencamp and Jackson Browne speaking out against the two-some using their songs, Bon Jovi has now spoken up after their tune "Home" was used at a rally or two. They released the following statement today: "We wrote this song as a thank you to those who have supported us over the past twenty-five years. The song has since become a banner for our home state of New Jersey and the defacto theme song for our partnerships around the country to build homes and rebuild communities. Although we were not asked, we do not approve of their use of 'Home.'" Still, probably didn't sting as badly as when Van Halen protested the use of one of their songs being used by the campaign (Palin's son's middle name is Van, as an homage to the band).

Hey, the muppets are here to help you prepare for the next big terrorist attack, and other terrors—like nature's wrath! Of course, not even Super Grover can help clean up George Bush's war, but he can lend a brightly colored smiling face to fearmongering. Wired reports that Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and his wife Meryl have worked with the Sesame Workshop and the Ad Council to come up with a campaign focusing on preparedness. They've declared that "it's a fact of life that not every day is a sunny day," and "recent events have exposed families to a range of disasters; the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 have particularly emphasized the need to ensure children's physical and psychological protection." Grover and others will be the face of the campaign, which includes DVDs, magazines and more! But what they really ought to do is update The Monster at the End of the Book by writing Dick Cheney into the denouement.