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Murdoch sorry after blind jab at Paterson
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch apologized Wednesday to Gov. David Paterson for saying the governor “doesn't know what's going on” because of his blindness, administration officials said.
Murdoch, a billionaire whose News Corp. owns Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and many other holdings, made his remarks during a panel discussion of CEOs on Tuesday.
Speaking of the New York state government, the Australian-born Murdoch said: “The Senate, the state Assembly, totally incompetent, with a governor, who's a very nice and honest man . . . who's blind, who can't read Braille and doesn't really know what's going.”
Paterson, who is legally blind due to a childhood infection, does not read Braille and memorizes his speeches.Following an uproar over the comments, which were posted online Wednesday, a contrite Murdoch called Paterson to offer his mea culpa.
Advocates for the blind were quick to blast Murdoch, saying he was repeating outmoded ideas about people with visual impairments.
“It's a shame when someone who is prominent says something like this, which is based upon ignorance,” said Carl Augusto, president of the American Federation for the Blind.
A spokeswoman for News Corp. would say only that Murdoch called Paterson and the two had “a cordial conversation.”
Carl Jacobsen, head of the National Federation for the Blind of New York, said that when Paterson was young, children with partial sight were often told not to learn Braille. He called Murdoch's comments prejudice.
“If he wants to take issue with the governor's politics, that's his right as an Australian, but he should not denigrate an entire class of people,” Jacobsen said. “I just think Mr. Murdoch should think twice before he has to issue another apology.”
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Council to pass parking new parking regs, risking veto
Reacting to outrage over a perceived ticket blitz, the City Council will vote Monday to ease several parking restrictions, setting up a showdown with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.“This is a message to the mayor that we won't tolerate over-aggressive traffic agents,” said Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Astoria).
One measure would create a five-minute grace period for alternate side of the street parking and muni meters, while another would expand the number of clergy members who qualify for parking permits.
Bloomberg is expected to veto both bills, though council sources say there are plenty of votes to override him.
Two other bills would require the city to give written notification before changing parking rules and wait 30 days before changing meter rates. Bloomberg will likely sign those into law.
Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn), who sponsored the grace period bill, said 10 percent of alternate side tickets - about 300,000 annually - are given within five minutes of the cut-off, which he said shows the city is using parking laws simply to raise revenue.
“That's a tax, not a ticket,” he said. “For somebody who's eking out a living and gets a ticket for $100, you're literally taking away a day's pay.”
He said traffic agents were once told to give a five-minute grace period but that ended under Bloomberg.
Earlier this year, the mayor said such a law would be a slippery slope and could lead to the city having “absolutely no ability to collect parking meter payments” or clean the streets.
Vallone said traffic agents' behavior forced the council's hand.
“These bills are an attempt to legislate common sense and discretion,” he said.
Vallone's office is also writing a bill that would protect drivers from double-parking tickets if they are waiting to pull into a spot that someone else is leaving - a problem he has heard about from constituents.
Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing), chair of the Transportation Committee, said the clergy bill will even the playing field between large and small institutions by allowing religious leaders to get permits for their own cars - as opposed to only cars owned by the house of worship - and including clergy members who are part-time.
“That legislation was a result of numerous complaints from churches leaders and congregations,” he said.
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Bloomberg and Thompson shift focus to turnout
Thousands of hands have been shaken, hours of speeches have been made and multi-million dollar TV ads have been repeated on an endless loop.
Now it all comes down to the ground game.Both Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Comptroller Bill Thompson will focus today on getting their supporters to the polls, a mean feat in what has proven to be a less than blockbuster campaign.
“I think it’s going to be a very low turnout race,” said Kenneth Sherrill, a political science professor at Hunter College. “Who benefits from that is very difficult to predict.”
Voters interviewed this week gave the two-term mayor high marks for his record on crime and education, but criticized him for going against voter wishes and extending term limits and for rising fees and taxes.
Thompson was praised as a champion for the middle class, even though many voters said they knew little about him.
“(Bloomberg) violated the trust of the people,” said Brian Wilson, 48, of Brooklyn, referring to the mayor’s flip-flop on term limits. “He’s already had eight years and I think he’s setting a really bad precedent.”
Juan Lugo, 64, of the Bronx, a Bloomberg backer, said public safety is his primary motivation for voting. “Bloomberg has done a lot of good,” he said. “I feel safer on the streets because of him.”
Bloomberg, running on the Republican and Independence lines, will rely on 5,000 volunteers and his campaign is expected to knock on 100,000 doors Tuesday, officials said.
Thompson, the Democrat, is backed by a handful of key unions and the Working Families Party, which will look to traditional Democratic activists. The campaign said it will mobilize 2,000 volunteers Tuesday.
“This race will depend on turnout,” said Eddy Castell, Thompson’s campaign manager. “It’s important for us to close strong: mail, phone calls, canvassing.”
Bloomberg -- who leads 50 to 38 percent according to a Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday – has been preaching the same message.“We’ve got to tell every single voter we meet that we can’t take this election for granted,” he told volunteers.
Chris James and Phoebe Kingsak contributed to this story
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Bloomberg and Thompson clash in final debate
In their final debate before next week’s election, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city Comptroller Bill Thompson tussled over taxes, education and the new Yankee Stadium Tuesday night night.
Neither man landed a knock-out punch, though there were several barbed exchanges: Thompson twice accused Bloomberg of lying, while the mayor insisted his opponent would raise taxes.
Both argued over whether the city was affordable to the middle class, with Thompson suggesting the billionaire mayor cannot relate to the average New Yorker.
“Everybody realizes that the mayor is out of touch with the people he represents,” Thompson said.
Bloomberg, in turn, said most people he meets on the subway and on the streets do not view him that way.
“It’s very easy to say, ‘I feel your pain,’” Bloomberg said. “That’s not what we need. We need people who are actually going to do something to make this city better.”
The pressure was on Thompson — who trails Bloomberg by 16 points in a recent poll — to leave a lasting impression on the electorate, whose interest in the race has been spotty.
The questions focused largely on the economy and education, with only one brief exchange over Bloomberg’s push to extend term limits, which Thompson vehemently opposed.
The most testy exchanges came when Thompson accused Bloomberg of “cooking the books” at the Department of Education and compared his stewardship of the schools to Enron.
Bloomberg said Thompson would implement “job-killing taxes” and assailed his tenure as president of the Board of Education.
One question, asked by a New Yorker interviewed by a reporter for ABC, which hosted the debate, concerned the taxpayer-financed bonds used for the construction of the new Yankee Stadium, where the World Series begins tonight.
Bloomberg called it a wise investment that would yield more parkland for neighborhood residents, while Thompson lambasted the deal as a “giveaway.”
In one of the more unusual moments of the night, each man was asked to give the other a grade. Thompson, laughing awkwardly, said he would “be kind” and give the mayor a D-.
Bloomberg declined to give a grade but offered his opponent a rare compliment.
“I think Bill has actually been a reasonably good comptroller,” he said. “It has been a pleasure working with him.”
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After much speculation, Quinn backs Thompson
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, whose aggressive role in helping overturn the city’s term-limits law put her at odds with mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, endorsed her fellow Democrat Monday.For months, Quinn had steadfastly refused to say whom she was supporting, and her close relationship with Mayor Michael Bloomberg fueled speculation she would sit out the race.But on Monday, in response to a question after an event to promote healthy eating in schools, Quinn offered her backing.“I believe Bill Thompson’s been a good comptroller,” Quinn told reporters. “I think he would be a good mayor and I think it’s very important that the Democrats are united.”Thompson has made anger about the extension of term limits – which Quinn helped shepherd through the council - a cornerstone of his campaign.He said he is happy to have the speaker’s backing.“Democrats from across New York City, New York State and the country are lining up behind the campaign,” he said.
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Senate committee to probe Monserrate case
Senate Democrats Tuesday said they will form a committee to consider disciplining embattled Sen. Hiram Monserrate, raising the specter of another political battle in the fractious, closely divided chamber.
“It’s a mess,” said Helen Desfosses, a professor of public policy at the state University at Albany. “The Senate needs this like a hole in the head.”
State Sen. John Sampson of Brooklyn, the Democratic conference leader, said he was “not only angry but pissed off” at Monserrate because of his misdemeanor conviction for assaulting his girlfriend. Nevertheless, in appointing five Democrats – four of them women – to serve on the nine-member committee, Sampson vowed an impartial review of the case.
The committee will make a recommendation to the full Senate, which could vote to expel or discipline him in less severe ways.
Fissures already have appeared in the Democratic caucus, with some expressing support for Monserrate (D-East Elmhurst) and others fiercely denouncing him.
With a slim 32-30 edge, any Democrat can cause headaches for the body, as was evident during the recent deadlock, which paralyzed the capital for more than a month.
If Monserrate is ousted or resigns, the seat would be vacant until a special election, further complicating the balance of power.
“It certainly has the potential to cause a lot of disruption,” said Larry Norden, of the Brennan Center for Justice, an Albany watchdog. “You’re going to continue to potentially have a situation where there is a complete stalemate and nothing gets done.”
Monserrate, who met with Sampson on Monday, released a statement Tuesday saying he intends to “cooperate fully” with the inquiry.
The Republican leadership criticized the committee, which will have four Republicans, saying the matter should be referred to the equally divided ethics committee.
“Sen. Sampson has raised the question of whether this can truly be a fair
process and a nonpartisan investigation,” said Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), who did not announce the GOP appointees.
Sampson said he wanted a committee that could not produce a tie vote.
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Thompson's response on gay rights riles activists
A lightning-round question during Tuesday night’s face-off between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and challenger Bill Thompson has ignited a stormy debate among gay rights activists.
Asked whether they believe President Barack Obama has done enough for gay rights, Bloomberg answered “no.” Thompson, the city comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate, hesitated, sighed that Obama had only been in office for "nine months" and answered “yes.”
Some pundits argued that Thompson was trying to adhere to party lines, but Log Cabin Republicans spokesman Gregory Angelo yesterday asked, “Why all of the sudden is Thompson so beholden to a president who won’t mention him by name?”Angelo, whose group represents gay Republicans and has endorsed Bloomberg for mayor, called Thompson’s response “truly offensive.”
Despite promises to repeal the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the president hasn’t delivered, Angelo said.
The debate came fresh on the heels of a massive weekend march that brought tens of thousands to Washington, D.C., in support of gay rights.
The format of the question itself was disappointing, said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda. “A question of civil rights surely is more important than a yes or no question.”
The Stonewall Democrats, a liberal LGBT group that gave Thompson the nod for mayor, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Tags: mayoral race, gay rights, Bill Thompson, Michael Bloomberg
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For Thompson, debate is chance to go on offense
For city Comptroller Bill Thompson, outspent and trailing in the polls, the best strategy for Tuesday's mayoral debate may be to knock Mayor Michael Bloomberg out of his comfort zone, experts said.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg, who portrays himself as a good manager with a steady hand, will likely adopt the so-called Rose Garden strategy: Statesmanlike and above the fray.
The mayor “doesn’t want to let anything rattle him or cause him to lose his temper,” said Michael Krasner, a political science professor at Queens College.
As for Thompson, “he has to try to bring Bloomberg down from his perch and try to undermine his reputation,” Krasner said.
Though the campaigns have become increasingly nasty, Tuesday night will be the first time the candidates face off directly.
Joe Mercurio, a Democratic consultant who is not working on the Thompson campaign, said the comptroller should focus on taxes and fees, many of which have gone up during Bloomberg’s tenure; the mayor should emphasize education and public safety, for which he gets high marks from voters.
Both candidates said Monday they want to focus on issues, not style.
“It isn’t so much a debate as it is an opportunity to see two candidates side by side talking about their records and their vision for the future,” Bloomberg said of the debate.
Thompson deflected a question about his planned approach.
“It’s a question of staying on the issues,” he said. “I don’t think New Yorkers want to see the two of us fighting with each other."
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Is there an election? Many snooze through campaign
There’s been lots of noise, but is anybody listening?
As the mayoral campaign between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city Comptroller Bill Thompson heads into the home stretch, the candidates are battling not just one another but a seemingly tuned-out electorate, as New Yorkers greet the campaign with a collective yawn.
“People are not engaged,” said Lee Miringoff, polling director at Marist College, which has done several surveys on the race. “We’ve always been struck by how strong mayoral elections were and now we’re seeing the opposite effect. It’s not an attention grabber.”
It is a common sentiment, experts and pollsters said, in a year when an incumbent billionaire is outspending his opponent 16 to 1 and the ballot will lack a larger-than-life personality.
Miringoff called the candidates “charisma challenged” and said many voters don’t give Thompson much chance.
A recent Marist poll found just over half of voters rated this year’s contest boring, and 78 percent think Bloomberg will win. The same poll found Bloomberg winning a head-to-head match-up 50 to 39 percent.
“People don’t care because it will be Bloomberg,” said Anthony Guadango, 41, of Staten Island, who intends to vote for the mayor. “I don’t even know who’s running against him.”
One New Yorker interviewed Monday even thought the race was between Bloomberg and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Polls have suggested the race is tightening, and Thompson has become more visible in recent weeks, but with Bloomberg blanketing the airwaves with ads and Thompson just beginning the counter-attack, many say it lacks the feel of a true race.
As of Oct. 2, Bloomberg had spent nearly $28 million on TV ads, while Thompson had spent $305,000.
“It’s in (Bloomberg’s) favor because of the complacency of New York voters,” said Ken Gordon, 56, of the Bronx, a Thompson supporter.
After a Democratic primary that saw Thompson win the party’s nod with a historically low turnout, voting could well be down again on Nov. 3, said David Birdsell, dean of Baruch College.
“This doesn’t seem to be a particularly salient election,” he said. “There has been this steady assumption of inevitability.”
Thompson acknowledged Monday that he is the underdog and predicted greater enthusiasm from voters in the coming weeks.
Bloomberg would only say that he is enjoying this year’s campaign more than his previous two.
Evan Stavisky, a Democratic political consultant not involved in the race, said the economy also might be keeping voters distracted.
“People are confronting real challenges every day and politics takes a backseat,” he said.
Phoebe Kingsak contributed to this story.
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Get ready for Mayor Monty: cartoon's 'campaign' kicks into gear
Looking for a billionaire to support for mayor other than Michael Bloomberg?
Two New York artists will be pushing their satirical campaign for Monty Burns — the fictional power plant owner on “The Simpsons” — Saturday in Union Square.
“We’re trying to poke fun at an election that is already a joke,” said Kenny Komer, one of the creators of the Burns for mayor campaign.
Komer and his partner, Boris Rasin, will be handing out buttons, posters and stickers from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday.
In an interview on Thursday, Komer said the idea for the Burns campaign came about because they felt Bloomberg, who has spent tens of millions of his own money on his re-election, had skewed the field.
On the duo’s Web site, Burns calls for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Williamsburg and the selling of Staten Island to raise revenue. Posters touting the “campaign” have gone up in Union Square and Williamsburg. Next week, Komer said, they will be “plastered” around the city.
Neither the campaigns of Bloomberg or his Democratic rival Bill Thompson responded to requests for comment.
Real life former mayoral candidate Tony Avella, a city councilman from Queens who lost to Thompson in the primary, said he found the Burns campaign “quite funny.”
“The fact that Bloomberg is overwhelming the system with money is causing this type of lampooning,” he said.
