Times Endorses Mayor Bloomberg for Re-election

[Judi Lynn]

Times Endorses Mayor Bloomberg for Re-election

By PATRICK D. HEALY
Published: October 23, 2005
The New York Times editorial board today endorsed Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for re-election, saying he has a chance to be "one of the greatest mayors in New York history" if he builds on his first-term achievements.

At the same time, the board says, his image may well be tarnished by his "obscene" unlimited spending on his political campaigns.

The editorial hails Mr. Bloomberg for winning direct control over the city's public schools and improving them, overseeing a reduction in crime rates, using the 311 phone system to address citizen complaints, and fostering "racial harmony."

More than anything, the editorial says, the mayor has shown that "good government is not a zero-sum game" - that City Hall policies can yield benefits across neighborhoods, and that the old stereotype of an ungovernable New York can be disproved.

The mayor, a Republican, holds a comfortable lead over his Democratic challenger, Fernando Ferrer, but he faces an electorate on Nov. 8 that is overwhelmingly Democratic.
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/23/nyregion/metrocampaigns/23endorse.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1130062492-JDcRBP2eDpgMigg2jpmxxg

[wakeme2008]

1. God damn Liberal media

:grr:

[fasttense]

2. Ever since the Times got into bed with Judith Miller, they have

endorsed most of the neocon agenda. Is it a wonder they love Bloomberg?

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. NY is a majority DEM City

and most of them are voting for Bloomberg too.

Unfortunately, the DEMS keep running Ferrer and the dude is an idiot. Not much of a choice this time around and Bloomberg has been a decent mayor.

[JoFerret]

6. This is true

- not the Ferrer slur - but the fact that many NY dems will vote for Bloomberg. He has hired good people/ managers (many of them from Dem administrations) and does not come across as harsh, strident, racist and ideological (unlike that loser Guiliani).

[sleipnir]

13. I'd never vote for Ferrer. Neither will millions of New Yorkers.

When you campaign in Puerto Rico! (for Chrissake it's not even a state!, and yes I do know about the huge population of Puerto Ricans in the City), it sends a very bad vibe to people who aren't from that heritage. Also, he's said a lot of stupid things in the past, including the Diallo shooting.

You know what, in all honesty I'm not convinced that Ferrer would be a better Mayor than Bloomy.

I'd never vote for Bloomy, he pissed me off to much by climbing into bed with the Republicans for the Convention and his idiotic Stadium proposal still irks me.

Still, New Yorkers will vote in their best interest, I believe given the two choices, Bloomberg is probably in the best interest for most New Yorkers, or at least the ones who vote.

The Dems need to find a real candidate and not these jokes like Greene and Ferrer.

[leesa]

18. You can't find another candidate in all of New York?

[JoFerret]

27. Ferrer is just fine

Not the ideal candidate but he's one of those goo-goo good-gov people. He does have ties to the Bronx machine but then who does not have ties unless you are obscenely wealthy and don't need to actually work with people. He also was effective in the Bronx and was a part of the renaissance there.

Here you have an opportunity to vote against a republican - hope you take advantage.

(And the issue with PR was what now?)

[Kahuna]

9. Exactly. NYers will not dismiss a mayor who has delivered good

results. They never do. They never will. NYers are very pragmatic when it comes to electing a mayor. They vote for the best man, regardless of party affiliation.

[Julius Civitatus]

11. Sorry, but Bloomberg's results are mixed

Sorry to disagree, but not all of Bloomberg's tenure has been smooth and positive. He has doubled all traffic fines in the city (parking on the wrong side of the street cleaning day is now $115, seriously).
His management of the 2004 Republican convention was shameless, and ordered arrests that were unconstitutional and highly undemocratic. The NY subway system (which, yes, it's run with the NY State MTA) has been seriously defunded, and keeps breaking down almost daily. Anyone commuting from Brooklyn or Queens knows what I mean. If the subway system keeps getting defunded like this, it will reach the levels of the 1970s. The last time they cleaned the subway system for pest control (that means huge, nasty rats), was the Summer of 2001 (the desratization stickers are posted on every station; they all read August 2001, eerily).

So sorry to put down your love letter to Bloomie, but not all of what's he's done has been a success. I'm not sure so-called liberals should endorse him, particularly after his dictatorial attitude during the 2004 convention. No way.

OTOH, I do agree that Ferrer is a laughable alternative. I don't understand why Dems keep running these candidates.

[Hawkeye-X]

19. The subway thing..

You're right. I was trying to take a B train to Manhattan from Brooklyn a few weeks ago, and it broke down at the Jarvis St. Station (I think).. had to wait for another train.

[NYC Liberal]

22. Me too. It's gotten worse and worse since 2000-2001.

There is ALWAYS a "Service Advisory/Change" posted on the 2/3 or the 4/5/6. Something is always screwed up and it's really a PITA.

[JoFerret]

28. They voted for the best man

...even when the best candidate was a woman!

[still_one]

4. judith miller is all you need to know about the times

it doesn't matter that they are critisizing her now, what were they doing when she was reporting lies as fact

until the newspaper cleans itself from the inside out, it is just another worthless rag

[JoFerret]

29. Wrong

Simple minded and plain wrong.

[still_one]

30. perhaps, but tell that to the 2000 dead Americans who went to Iraq

based on the lies that she perpetuated

She should be let go in a minute

[JoFerret]

33. LOL

..at your post (not the Iraq war dead.)

[still_one]

34. and of course you are entitled to that

but the media has had two different faces, one during Clinton, and one during Bush, and I find it very hard to understand why the fourth estate itself isn't up in arms, what has been done to silence it

Yes, now stories are finally coming out, but there sure were not many profiles in courage among this elite group they call the press

[JoFerret]

5. Boo! Hiss!

However bland Bloomberg may be he is still the man who brought the RNC to NYC last year for the convention.
Still - not unexpected.
Why on earth a democratic town like NYC can't find an electable candidate is one of the mysteries of life.

[Mend]

7. NYer born and raised, though gone for a while now....

New Yorkers know that the virulent social jihad of the right-wing nuts will never be inflicted on them, so they look for fiscal responsibility and crime fighting and think "puke". Sorta like voting for Ike.

[jkappy]

17. very true n/t

[newyawker99]

24. Hi jkappy!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Kahuna]

8. I don't know why anyone here is surprised. Bloomberg has done a

very good job for NY. NYers vote on results. PERIOD. They don't care about party affiliation when it comes to electing a mayor. Bloomberg has keep NY humming like a well oiled machine. He's low key and down to earth. The only bad thing to say about him is that he supports bushco and repukes. If you take that part away, he's a helleva guy. Of course he's going to win. Duh. It's foolish to believe otherwise.

[Julius Civitatus]

10. What the hell is wrong with the NY Times????

I know, rhetorical question...

:eyes:

Damn the "librul media"!!!

:argh:

[Zynx]

12. Sorry to say, but Bloomberg has done a good job.

He is hardly your typical conservative Republican. He is progressive on social issues, even moreso than many Dems, and he is generally fiscally responsible.

[PhilipShore]

14. Worst Mayor Ever: Bloomberg

I am a registered liberal Democrat, which lives in New York City, and I can think of two programs--no three--that he has gutted because of his plutocratic administration. The only reason why the Times are endorsing him is that-- they do not want to not-- receive advertising funding from Bloomberg’s Republican corporate welfare dynasty, Bloomberg enterprises.

His 311 system is a complete failure, all it is an answering service for the entire city government. However, in typical Republican fashion they turn a corrupt policy and use propaganda to make it sound like they are doing the people of New York a favor.

His housing inspectors, generally never showed up for any housing complaints I made thru his 311 system, then when they did show up, the landlord thanks to Bloomberg now, just has to say he fixed the problems in the apartment, without the landlord doing anything.

In other words; when the HPD housing inspector shows up and finds violations, the landlord just has to say he has fixed them, and HPD before Bloomberg, would ask the tenant--or show up for a follow-up to see if the violations were fixed. In addition, of course, the landlord never even showed up to fix the problems in my apartment.

He fired most of the staff of the NYC Consumer affairs department--to make it to the point--where the name might as well being changed to NYC Corporate plutocrat affairs.

[Cha]

21. bloomberg is a such a

rethug tool..I'm so disappointed the Dems don't have anyone qualified to run NYC..a very Democratic City. It's just too ironic that this bait and switch artist is the only one running who New Yorkers think is up to the job.

Get they ever get their $20 Billion they were promised by the federal bush government?

Welcome to DU, PhilipShore!

[Julius Civitatus]

26. Not a penny!

Not a penny of those $20 billion promised by Bushie for the NYC reconstruction have made their way here. None! Did Bloomie remind Chimpy? Did he press his Rethug pals for it?

Not a word from Bloomie!

Furthermore, when it came time for the Rethug convention in NYC, he rolled over, and turned NYC into a militarized police state for over a week, even conduction more than 1,000 illegal arrests.

And after all his lapping service to the GOP, Bloomie still didn't ask for the $20 billion promised. And has never said a word since.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi PhilipShore!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Doctor_J]

15. NYT now officially a Republican publication

The Chicago Trib admitted long ago that it's a GOP rag. Time for the NYT to come out of the closet, declare what's obvious to all.

[BillZBubb]

16. And Judy Miller was a 1st Amendment Hero!

So much for the Times.

[Orrin_73]

20. So much for the liberal media myth.

[newyawker99]

23. Gee, what a surprise! NOT!

:puke: :grr:

[WhiteTara]

31. How many of their readers don't know they

are government administration officials propagandists, not to believed in any incident.

[realFedUp]

32. I hope the marchers during the Repub. convention remember

what the police action was like at that time...
and vote accordingly.