Posted on 10/09/2005 11:17:16 PM PDT by nickcarraway
City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. and his father, former Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., crossed party lines yesterday and endorsed GOP Mayor Mike Bloomberg over Democratic challenger Fernando Ferrer. Speaking at Mike's Diner in Astoria, the father-and-son Democrats said Bloomberg was doing a bang-up job.
"We have a good mayor, why would we change him now?" the elder Vallone said. "It has nothing to do with party labels."
The Vallones said Bloomberg had proven himself by leading the city after 9/11, and had delivered on issues such as education.
They also said their decision was no slight to Ferrer.
"I have no problem with Freddy Ferrer," said the elder Vallone, now a professor. "I think he's a fine public official."
Ferrer's campaign responded that Vallone backed Ferrer in 2001, saying then: "I can think of no one better qualified than Freddy Ferrer."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
hmmmmmm bump
This is not at all surprising.
Many Dems are supporting Bloomberg. Ferrer is in big financial trouble and cannot raise money. He has a War Chest of less than $1 million, including matching funds.
Many Black leaders like the Rev. Calvin Butts of the Abyssinian Baptist Church are backing Bloomberg.
Why? Bloomberg has been an excellent Mayor, continuing the great mission to re-make NY that Rudy started.
The threat of terrorist attacks in the NYC Subway System made many think: Oh my God! What if Freddy were Mayor in a crisis like this?
Wow! Democrats supporting a Democrat! 'Tis truly an age of Wonders.
Hey, Bloomberg might not be our ideal 'Pubbie, but neither was Rudy. No conservative Republican is going to be able to carry the (R) into Gracie Mansion, at least not for a while.
Bloomberg advances the ball. On some things, like financial discipline and education reform, he's been pretty good.
"But, but, but, Little Dick Morris you TOLD us Bloomberg was in trouble. Little Dick you told us freddy was in great shape being "only" 14 points behind and under 40! Come on Little Dick you can't be wrong here, I mean you're NEVER wrong are you Little Dick?"
I don't know how accurate this answers.com site is but I've always heard that Bloomberg was a Democrat who only ran as a Republican because the Democrat primary was flooded with candidates. So, I can't say I'm shocked when Democrats cross the "New York Party Line" to support the Republican, who is actually a Democrat.
Bloomberg used to be a Democrat. He hardly embodies the Republican ideal. But he is a far sight preferable to the run-of-the-mill NY Democrat.
Frankly, Rudy Giuliani would have run as a Democrat anywhere else but NYC and perhaps SF, Seattle and Austin, TX. Big lib cities are just not going to elect a doctrinaire Republican, no matter what.
Bloomberg might be a reasonable alternative to McCain for the Republican nomination in 2008, IMHO. If you are going to pick a squishy-middle Republican, I like Bloomberg more than McCain or Giuliani.
I guess I like Giuliani better then the other two.
Giuliani is a proven leader, I don't see any leadership from Bloomberg and McManiac just pisses me off.
I also don't like the whole fascist smoking ban thing. I don't smoke, I used to, and cigarette smoke does bother me. But smoking bans just seem evil.
It should be up to the business owner. If it isn't up to the business owner then the city or the state become the business owner.
If tobacco is as bad as they say, then show some leadership and make it illegal.
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