Liveblogging the Mayoral Forum in NYC
6:35 PM ET, Working Families Party Forum, 305 42nd ST.
A questioner asks Mike Bloomberg, the queen of New York, if he thinks his money gives him an unfair advantage, (he's the RICHEST PERSON IN THE CITY), and whether or not he thinks there should be an "even playing field" with regard to campaign financing.
Bloomberg's repsonse? "I've earned every dime I've made." Then he goes on to say that "you can't have a totally fair election."
Shit. So much for democracy.
Bloomberg defended his obscene spending (he's already pumped nearly $20 million into his re-election campaign, his nearest challenger had raised just $3.5 million as of May) by claiming that he's only spent his money in order to tell people about his political beliefs and tell them about how he wants to make their lives better, create jobs, etc.
The no-such-thing-as-a-fair-election line was supposed to be about how people have different backgrounds ("some people go to better schools") but the response was a run around. Does he have to apologize for his wealth? No. But Bloomberg essentially buys elections by flooding the airwaves with ads and outspending his opponents 50 to 1. He's even bought the event that I'm sitting at now.
Inside sources tell this blogger that Bloomberg has the Working Familes Party, and the whole Labor contingent, in his pocket. And he should. He's their boss. Without him, they don't get money. (Although how long he can even provide the jobs is unclear in this economy.) The WFP is probably going to endorse Mike anyway, so this entire presser is a sham to make it look like they've given a forum to two other candidates and then come to a conclusion about whose answers they like the best.
I'd be very surprised if mayor-for-life Mike doesn't get the WFP endorsement.
6:56 PM
Still, unlike other Bloomberg vanity pressers, this one doesn't seem to be stacked with Bloomberg flunkies. Councilmember Tony Avella, speaking now (and running a long-shot campaign), is garnering quite a bit of applause for breaking with Bloomberg in criticizing school board head Joe Klein and voicing his distaste for charter schools.
But back to that rich person comment-- Bloomberg reminded us, just before making a hasty exit, that "rich people don't always win."
Excuse me????
As my new friend (and actual journalist- a legendary one at that) Andy Humm reminds us, we have "one of the most aristocratic congresses in the world." And here's Miss Bloomberg trying to tell us that it's still hard to be a pol even when you're a billionaire. Puh-leaze.
7:03 PM
Avella calls Bloomberg's extension of his term limits as the "most disgraceful" thing he's ever done. Applause ensues.
7:07 PM
"People vote against an incumbent for a reason." Avella's now making the argument that he could beat Bloomberg, over Bill Thompson-- the more established opposition candidate-- because his race against Bloomberg would get national attention as the 'average guy vs. the billionaire.'
His closing line: "It's not about money. It's about people."
It's definitely resonating with the crowd... but is it true?
A questioner asks Mike Bloomberg, the queen of New York, if he thinks his money gives him an unfair advantage, (he's the RICHEST PERSON IN THE CITY), and whether or not he thinks there should be an "even playing field" with regard to campaign financing.
Bloomberg's repsonse? "I've earned every dime I've made." Then he goes on to say that "you can't have a totally fair election."
Shit. So much for democracy.
Bloomberg defended his obscene spending (he's already pumped nearly $20 million into his re-election campaign, his nearest challenger had raised just $3.5 million as of May) by claiming that he's only spent his money in order to tell people about his political beliefs and tell them about how he wants to make their lives better, create jobs, etc.
The no-such-thing-as-a-fair-election line was supposed to be about how people have different backgrounds ("some people go to better schools") but the response was a run around. Does he have to apologize for his wealth? No. But Bloomberg essentially buys elections by flooding the airwaves with ads and outspending his opponents 50 to 1. He's even bought the event that I'm sitting at now.
Inside sources tell this blogger that Bloomberg has the Working Familes Party, and the whole Labor contingent, in his pocket. And he should. He's their boss. Without him, they don't get money. (Although how long he can even provide the jobs is unclear in this economy.) The WFP is probably going to endorse Mike anyway, so this entire presser is a sham to make it look like they've given a forum to two other candidates and then come to a conclusion about whose answers they like the best.
I'd be very surprised if mayor-for-life Mike doesn't get the WFP endorsement.
6:56 PM
Still, unlike other Bloomberg vanity pressers, this one doesn't seem to be stacked with Bloomberg flunkies. Councilmember Tony Avella, speaking now (and running a long-shot campaign), is garnering quite a bit of applause for breaking with Bloomberg in criticizing school board head Joe Klein and voicing his distaste for charter schools.
But back to that rich person comment-- Bloomberg reminded us, just before making a hasty exit, that "rich people don't always win."
Excuse me????
As my new friend (and actual journalist- a legendary one at that) Andy Humm reminds us, we have "one of the most aristocratic congresses in the world." And here's Miss Bloomberg trying to tell us that it's still hard to be a pol even when you're a billionaire. Puh-leaze.
7:03 PM
Avella calls Bloomberg's extension of his term limits as the "most disgraceful" thing he's ever done. Applause ensues.
7:07 PM
"People vote against an incumbent for a reason." Avella's now making the argument that he could beat Bloomberg, over Bill Thompson-- the more established opposition candidate-- because his race against Bloomberg would get national attention as the 'average guy vs. the billionaire.'
His closing line: "It's not about money. It's about people."
It's definitely resonating with the crowd... but is it true?
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