For the first time in years, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg finds himself governing New York City from a most unaccustomed vantage point: Vulnerability.
Ninety million dollars and a near-constant loop of negative commercials about his opponent later, the mayor ended election night in possession of a surprisingly modest margin of victory — far narrower than pollsters had predicted and with 100,000 fewer votes than he won in 2005. This could have profound implications for the tenor of a third Bloomberg term, not least that it is likely to hinder the mayor’s well-honed ability to cow Democrats and liberal interest groups.
Somebody should stand up to him; hopefully John Liu will have the spine to do so.
What perhaps was missing all along, and what will be his challenge now, is to find a more tactile, emotional connection with New Yorkers.
It is not in his DNA to be emotional. He is the remote technocrat.
“It’s not a vote of repudiation; it’s a vote of no confidence,” said Fred Siegel, a history professor at the Cooper Union and a longtime chronicler of urban America. “A lot of people are going to think twice before showing him deference.”
Hopefully.
New Yorkers Have Their Say
Slide Show
Election Day 2009
Graphic Profile of New York City Voters
No comments:
Post a Comment