Thursday, September 15, 2005
Why There Is No Mayoral Run-Off...
...Or, Michael Bloomberg's "Starve the Beast" strategy.0 comments
It's obvious that Andrew Weiner was gotten to. And sat down. And browbeaten thoroughly by the City, State and National Democratic apparatus Tuesday night.
He wanted it badly, and had too good a shot at the nomination in a run-off to ever leave the race of his own accord. He was spoken to. Told to be gracious and a team player.
Sternly.
And most likely, promised something for later.
This morning's events bear this out.
Yesterday was all about Weiner's graciousness.
Today, everybody gets down to work.
I open my e-mailbox this morning. There's Howard Dean with a Weiner's-not-quite-out-the-door-yet, hair-on-fire, fund-raising alarm for Freddy Ferrer.
An hour later—since I'm on John Kerry's mailing list as well—I'm being hit up for Funds for Freddy by the stick-man himself.
I assume more will be forthcoming. A lot more.
Mostly because of this story from Michael Bloomberg's camp, I assume.
Now, c'mon. Think smart here.
This story actually helps the Democrats in two ways.
One, it scares the bejeezus out of Freddy's campaign base, not to mention the national Dem base and gets them moving and giving. And giving big. That replaces some of the money Bloomberg's strategy will squeeze out of Freddy's campaign.
Two (only if they're smart enough to use it), it gives the Dems the perfect ammo with which to bring down Bloomberg. "Just another rich ol' boy in a rich ol' boys' club.—Just like Bush."
Make Mike's Money the issue.
No issues. No attacks on his record.
Mike's Money.
Take Mike's Money—which everyone concedes is Bloomberg's greatest asset—and make it his greatest liability.
That's the red flag waving in front of Ferrer's moderate- and lower-income base. And most of NY's low- and middle-income population. Hang Mike's Money around Bloomberg's neck until it bleeds from the weight. Don't say a word about this race without some allusion to Mike's Money and all the rich guys it attracts and favors, and makes richer ("...and you poorer..."). Anybody seen Woody Johnson or Bruce Ratner, lately?
Everybody here is hurting and/or being forced out of their homes and priced out of their neighborhoods, and NYers are quickly losing much of the quality of life they've relied on for centuries. There is precious little acreage left in New York City that doesn't have a giant, mindless gentrification target painted squarely on it.
In this campaign—as in no other across America—a single clear, stark issue is before the voters:
Class Warfare. Who gets to own New York City?
Don't shy away from it, Democrats. Embrace it. Own it. It's think tank stuff in D.C. perhaps, but it's where we NYers live. We're on the front lines of the new class warfare. Rich vs. poor, with the middle class entirely wiped out.
It's what every NYer knows and feels in their gut. If you actually want NYC, Dems, embrace this issue or go worry about Kansas or Utah, or some other hick burg.
New York City 2005 is the petrie dish for America 2006. Barbara Bush is our poster girl. She becomes as much an issue here as Bloomberg's ties to her rich ol' baby boy George W. Bush will ever be.
The referendum before the citizens of New York:
"Should New York City continue its rapid descent into being the exclusive enclave of the upwardly mobile, the well-connected and the well-off, as well as the ultra-rich, or should a wave of populist regulation thwart runaway development and salvage what is left of any remaining vestige of New York's rich heritage, its livability and its core humanity?"
This is the Democrats' issue. Period.
They should hit this ceaselessly until it seeps from the ears of every voter in this city. Make our brains hurt with it. "Rich boys' club" should be all we hear until November.
If it means temporarily tossing overboard these usual Dem money guys, so be it. They'll be back. That's Howard Dean's job, anyway. Keeping them happy nationally, and primed for 2006.
This is what the Democratic Party needs to do to re-take New York City.
Otherwise, Bloomberg wins in a landslide.
Period.
Let us know if you're up for this fight, Howard and John and all the rest of you who'll jump into my inbox over the next few weeks.
If so, let's give 'em hell. If not, then I'll just clean out a closet or something.
posted by Gotham 3:13 PM
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