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When You Can’t Distinguish Red From Blue
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| The hot blue button that’s pushing the political envelope.
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By MICHAEL SCHENKLER
Two weeks ago, I gave you my quickie view of the New York City Mayoral race. This week, I met with C. Virginia Fields, the one candidate I had previously never really spent any time with. I share, elsewhere on this page, some brief thoughts on bagels and lox with the Manhattan Borough President.
But it’s not Virginia’s surprising energy, nor Freddy’s lifelong compassion and commitment, Anthony’s sharp and piercing grasp of the issues, or even Giff’s outrageous abuse of office that seems to create the buzz as for the Democratic Primary campaign for Mayor approaches its final week.
The buzz is in control of Mike Bloomberg and his impressive operation. They seem to have taken control of the moment, the news and the consciousness of the people. And we hear they are just starting.
Watch for the announcement of “Democrats For Bloomberg.” Just as the Dems want their race to dominate the ink and air in our city, the re-election of former Dem, Republican Mayor Mike Bloomberg, will be heralded by a group of rather big name, impressive New York Democrats.
The initial announcement of Chairs and Co-chairs is expected to include the likes of Queens matriarch, former Beep Claire Shulman, former Mayor Ed Koch, and former Governor Hugh Carey. The most potent force in Southeast Queens, former Democratic Congressman the Rev. Floyd Flake is already aboard. And that’s just the beginning.
We hear that after the Democratic Primary (and run-off) is over and one Dem is standing – most likely Freddy Ferrer, that they are lining up to join the Democratic effort for Mayor Mike.
Queens names being whispered as part of the effort include: former Council Speaker Peter Vallone, Sr. (a longtime foe of the Mayor), Councilman Tony Avella, State Senator Malcolm Smith, Assemblywomen Barbara Clark and Kathy Nolan, Councilmembers Joe Addabbo, Jr and Peter Vallone, Jr. And the list is growing.
Never in the past quarter of a century of covering citywide elections do we recall anything close to the party crossover effort as is blooming for Bloomberg. Bronx Congressman Elliot Engel and Queens Dem powerhouse head of the NYC Central Labor Council Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin are rumored to be ready to take the plunge for the Mayor.
And as the growing effort among Democratic elected officials is not one that will necessarily lead the people to follow, it is, in the humble view of this longtime observer, indicative of two things: 1) the electeds are following the will of the Democratic electorate and 2) everyone’s desire to be on a winning team.
So Democrats, wait for the announcement and get your button early. Your team has not won a Mayoral race since David Dinkins edged out Rudy Giuliani the first time in 1989.
We wonder which button Mayor David will be wearing next month.
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| Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Trib Publisher Michael Schenkler during an interview at the Trib offices.
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C. Virginia Fields: Energy And A Smile
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| Mayoral candidate C. Virginia Fields and Publisher Michael Schenkler at the Trib office.
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By
MICHAEL SCHENKLER
“Polls go up and down. When I’m up, I’m delighted; when I’m down, I work harder.”
That was my introduction to mayoral candidate C. Virginia Fields as we sat and had bagels and lox in my office last week. She was the only of the field of four that I had not known for years and interviewed a number of times. And although we like to keep a balanced presentation as Primary time approaches, we felt it important to meet the Manhattan Beep before having to sit down and finalize the endorsement of our paper.
This traditional Democrat was full of fight and energy, good will and smiles as we bantered about those things which had import to both of us. She is bright, knowledgeable and accomplished. Although she frequently claimed the difference between her and her Dem rivals was one of “priorities,” we struggle to see the distinction.
“I think it relates to our background, experiences and what we bring to the table,” she explained. And her background as a civil rights activist, community leader, social worker and elected official serves her well.
Her issues, however, sounded like all the other candidates: education, the changing city population, affordable housing.
Her heart and mind is in the right place as she tackles the problems being tackled by her opponents and the Mayors of this City for the past quarter of a century. Virginia is a liberal who this writer can identify with. She wants the best for all of our citizens.
“In my community you wanted to be a preacher or a teacher,” she charmed us with her upbringing.
But like the rest of the field she acknowledges she needs the money to get the job done in the schools. “The CFE has to kick in,” she said of the long-awaited court mandated school funding correction for the City that is being appealed by the Governor.
While she complained to the Campaign Finance Board about the financial abuses of the Miller campaign and was highly critical of Sheldon Silver’s Commuter Tax repeal, she focused most of her criticism on those from across the political aisle and was gentle with members of her own party.
Directing her remarks to public perception of elected officials: “They look at us as they should – [considering] your integrity, your values and everything you stand for as part of that leadership you provide”
“A mayor can change the direction of the city,” Fields repeated three times, emphasizing her previously stated belief that setting priorities is a key to city management.
Her credible civil rights roots shone through as she explained, “My vision comes out of my experience . . . I still happen to believe in the idea of government for the people by the people”
She applauded in concept the possible Jets move to Queens while maintaining a conservative fiscal approach: “A good process has been started but I don’t think government in general should be paying for stadiums.
She vowed to veto an attempt to overturn term limits without a public referendum: “I do not support term limits as a law , however, we have them because the voters voted for it – I do not support the overturning them by law [vote of the City Council] – if [such] a bill came to me as Mayor I would veto it.
Even though not the candidate of the Queens Democratic Party, (or any of the five county organizations), Fields remained a party loyalist: “I support the county organization.”
However, she clearly distinguished the loyalty to party from the obligation to vote your conscience: “My view is people elect you to make decision independent of county leadership.”
She finds it very easy to relate to the people of Queens: “The City is all five boroughs . . . [I] know how to put resources into neighborhoods and communities in order to respond to the needs of every community and every borough.”
And if she does not prevail in the Mayoral contest, I asked, “What’s in the future for Virginia Fields?
“My life has been very fulfilling on many levels – I have many interests – for me the next step is open in terms of my interest. . . I think public service.”
In closing, Fields sounded like, well, the rest of the field: “I would like for the people of Queens to know my vision for the city is one that will address the priorities they care about – to improve quality of education, jobs, quality of life in the community.”
Although she had difficulty in differentiating herself from her opponents and the Mayor, she did impress this writer. She came with energy, vitality and compassion that is always refreshing to find in our experienced elected officials.
She also has a smile that’s contagious. |
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Not4Publication.com by Dom Nunziato |
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