NYC Mayor Bloomberg endorses Fenty
New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg endorsed Mayor Adrian M. Fenty
(D) in his reelection Tuesday, saying the District is "more accountable,
more transparent, more effective" under the young mayor.
Bloomberg, who has had a major influence on Fenty over the past four years, appeared to base a brief endorsement speech from the talking points of Fenty's campaign.
Phrasing was familiar: Fenty has made "tough, smart decisions" and he "gets the job done."
"I think Washington, D.C., is really lucky to have him," Bloomberg said at a news conference at the cavernous Carmine's restaurant in Penn Quarter.
Fenty said the endorsement "brings my political career full circle." He said he turned to Bloomberg and New York for inspiration for the District's smoking ban, community policing and improved sanitation services.
"All of those were things that we talked about when we were running for mayor...and implemented," Fenty said. "We literally stole the whole 311 system from New York."
The endorsement comes 28 days before the Sept.14 primary, which pits Fenty against chief rival Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray. Political observers say Gray, the lesser known candidate months ago, has been gaining momentum.
Bloomberg, who has had a major influence on Fenty over the past four years, appeared to base a brief endorsement speech from the talking points of Fenty's campaign.
Phrasing was familiar: Fenty has made "tough, smart decisions" and he "gets the job done."
"I think Washington, D.C., is really lucky to have him," Bloomberg said at a news conference at the cavernous Carmine's restaurant in Penn Quarter.
Fenty said the endorsement "brings my political career full circle." He said he turned to Bloomberg and New York for inspiration for the District's smoking ban, community policing and improved sanitation services.
"All of those were things that we talked about when we were running for mayor...and implemented," Fenty said. "We literally stole the whole 311 system from New York."
The endorsement comes 28 days before the Sept.14 primary, which pits Fenty against chief rival Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray. Political observers say Gray, the lesser known candidate months ago, has been gaining momentum.
By
Nikita Stewart
|
August 17, 2010; 1:30 PM ET
Categories: 2010 District Election , Nikita Stewart Save & Share:
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Not to be naive, but this is actually confusing as to how a
Bloomberg endorsement even matters. Say it on every news channel, and
now in print. Bloomberg does not live in DC and the cities have no
relationship as bordering jurisdictions to pass any form of judgement on
the quality of leadership in DC. The only relationship is this alleged
school reform approach that has no proof of working in either city.
(this is yet another example of why the school reform program does not
pass my smell test.)
Posted by: oknow1 | August 17, 2010 2:15 PM
| Report abuse
It just means that Fenty is welcome in NYC when January rolls
around and he's looking for a job. Maybe Gray will get the Count of
Transylvania to endorse him since that's the only likely place for him
after he loses.
Posted by: blankspace | August 17, 2010 2:27 PM
| Report abuse
Not to be naive, but this is actually confusing as to how a
Bloomberg endorsement even matters. Say it on every news channel, and
now in print. Bloomberg does not live in DC and the cities have no
relationship as blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...
Posted by: oknow1
______________
Have you really been observing politics all these years or are you looking at them through a pair of binoculars? Step back and see the big picture.
He just signed Fenty's pass card for another term. Done deal.
Posted by: oknow1
______________
Have you really been observing politics all these years or are you looking at them through a pair of binoculars? Step back and see the big picture.
He just signed Fenty's pass card for another term. Done deal.
Posted by: cbmuzik | August 17, 2010 2:47 PM
| Report abuse
@cbmuzik: Bloomberg doesn't have a vote in local politics much less a "passcard" for his protege' for another term in office.
Bloomberg isn't as popular in his own city these days.
What Bloomberg does have Fenty doesn't...A billion dollar personal bank account.
Money cannot buy you a mayoral election in the District. Ask Linda Cropp.
Bloomberg isn't as popular in his own city these days.
What Bloomberg does have Fenty doesn't...A billion dollar personal bank account.
Money cannot buy you a mayoral election in the District. Ask Linda Cropp.
Posted by: concernedaboutdc | August 17, 2010 2:51 PM
| Report abuse
Bloomberg endorsing Fenty is not a "done deal".
Posted by: venus31 | August 17, 2010 2:53 PM
| Report abuse
It seems that the fenty team has stolen a number of things during
his rein. The education plan from north carolina, millions of dollars
worth of contracts given to frat brothers courtesy of dc taxpayers, and
former mayor williams development projects across the city.
Posted by: dcgovcorruption | August 17, 2010 2:54 PM
| Report abuse
BAHAHAHAHAH
"more accountable, more transparent, more effective"
Was thugnificant holding a gun to his back when he said this?
"more accountable, more transparent, more effective"
Was thugnificant holding a gun to his back when he said this?
Posted by: thelildiva4u | August 17, 2010 2:59 PM
| Report abuse
I don't think any endorsement would make a difference with me.
The 311 idea was taken from Bloomberg? If so, then we have Bloomberg to
blame for the decline in the city's call center operations. With
727-1000, the operators picked up the phone on the first ring, were
polite, and handled every problem without directing you to another
agency. With 311, the phone is often asnwered by a machine, the call
takers are often grumpy, and you get bounced around from city agency to
city agency to get your problem solved. I can see a steep decline in
customer service since the arrival of the Fenty administration.
Posted by: tacard1 | August 17, 2010 3:10 PM
| Report abuse
I am sure there are more important matters in NYC for Mayor
Bloomberg to deal with such as police corruption the Big Apple. As a
native Washingtonian and lifetime democratic party member. This has been
the worse mayor in the city history. The administration with numerous
transparency and accountability issues. Drug dealers such as Moten etal
running our city as well as recieving 400,000.00 grants. We can do much
better. Mayor Bloomberg need to stay in NYC and out of the affairs of
the District of Columbia.
Posted by: dgrowe1 | August 17, 2010 3:15 PM
| Report abuse
Fenty said the endorsement "brings my political career full circle".
I guess a reall full circle would be when Fenty loses and becomes a private citizen again.
This is a nice one day plug for Fenty, and congrats to his PR team. But as Vincent Gray said, "I concede the Manhattan Vote to Fenty".
It will be nice if Fenty doesn't win a second term if Bloomberg invites him to vacation in one of his many homes and flys him there for free. Who knows maybe that has happened already with their both being so secretive about where they go.
Anyway I hope they at least all had a nice lunch at Carmines.
I guess a reall full circle would be when Fenty loses and becomes a private citizen again.
This is a nice one day plug for Fenty, and congrats to his PR team. But as Vincent Gray said, "I concede the Manhattan Vote to Fenty".
It will be nice if Fenty doesn't win a second term if Bloomberg invites him to vacation in one of his many homes and flys him there for free. Who knows maybe that has happened already with their both being so secretive about where they go.
Anyway I hope they at least all had a nice lunch at Carmines.
Posted by: peterdc | August 17, 2010 3:17 PM
| Report abuse
What does Fenty get out of a Bloomberg endorsement? Lets see.
How many people do you think Bloomberg can get to give 2K. A hundred. Two Hundred? If there was a hundred people that is 200K. SO somewhere between 100K and 400K depending on how long Bloomberg wanted to stay on the phone.
The mayor of Wall Street matters.
He can't get you votes. But he can help you get your votes to the polls. How many buses can you run with a budget of 200K?
Don't always follow the corny Gray campaign logic. No, they don't want the New York votes. But, they would have been happy as pie to collect that NY money.
Money can't buy you love. But it definately will fill the gas tank.
How many people do you think Bloomberg can get to give 2K. A hundred. Two Hundred? If there was a hundred people that is 200K. SO somewhere between 100K and 400K depending on how long Bloomberg wanted to stay on the phone.
The mayor of Wall Street matters.
He can't get you votes. But he can help you get your votes to the polls. How many buses can you run with a budget of 200K?
Don't always follow the corny Gray campaign logic. No, they don't want the New York votes. But, they would have been happy as pie to collect that NY money.
Money can't buy you love. But it definately will fill the gas tank.
Posted by: politicalrealist | August 17, 2010 4:06 PM
| Report abuse
So a resident of NY endorses Fenty.
Who (wait for it) cares?
Who (wait for it) cares?
Posted by: forgetthis | August 17, 2010 4:29 PM
| Report abuse
What it REALLY says to DC residents is simply this:
That a Republican Mayor, of a city four hours away, knows that Fenty has copied some of his style, and agrees with what he has heard.
Given that Bloomburg pays for his own travel, even when representing his City, pays for his own police whenever they travel, and is a finacial wizard, what I would REALLY be interested in hearing are his thoughts on how Fenty has handled his travel (Dubai trip/Dem Convention trip) and how he has passed out Millions of dollars to Ron Moten without invoices and feels that he doesnt need them to give out MORE money. Then he could tell us what he thinks about the contracts to Sinclair/Omar/Lomax and their qualifications to win those contracts.
Since we are supposed to be impressed with what Bloomberg thinks, why didn’t you all ask him about the issues the citizens of DC have with Fenty. Maybe he could have explained Fentys actions in a way that would change our minds about him. Other than that, he really didn’t help Fenty at all.
That a Republican Mayor, of a city four hours away, knows that Fenty has copied some of his style, and agrees with what he has heard.
Given that Bloomburg pays for his own travel, even when representing his City, pays for his own police whenever they travel, and is a finacial wizard, what I would REALLY be interested in hearing are his thoughts on how Fenty has handled his travel (Dubai trip/Dem Convention trip) and how he has passed out Millions of dollars to Ron Moten without invoices and feels that he doesnt need them to give out MORE money. Then he could tell us what he thinks about the contracts to Sinclair/Omar/Lomax and their qualifications to win those contracts.
Since we are supposed to be impressed with what Bloomberg thinks, why didn’t you all ask him about the issues the citizens of DC have with Fenty. Maybe he could have explained Fentys actions in a way that would change our minds about him. Other than that, he really didn’t help Fenty at all.
Posted by: tformation1 | August 17, 2010 4:44 PM
| Report abuse
So what the Mayor basically said was that he has been copying from someone else's paper for the last four years.
Posted by: brightj15 | August 17, 2010 4:59 PM
| Report abuse
New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg endorsed Mayor Adrian M.
Fenty saying the District is "more accountable, more transparent, more
effective" under the young mayor.
I'm sorry, besides the fact that mayor Bloomberg is in New York not Washington, where is he getting the impression that Fenty is more accountable and transparent? Sure not from the residents of the District. Does he really think the people in the District care about anything he says?
I'm sorry, besides the fact that mayor Bloomberg is in New York not Washington, where is he getting the impression that Fenty is more accountable and transparent? Sure not from the residents of the District. Does he really think the people in the District care about anything he says?
Posted by: Jimof1913 | August 17, 2010 5:23 PM
| Report abuse
Even if President Obama (whom I fully support) endorsed Fenty, he
still won't get my vote. Who in DC really cares what Bloomberg has to
say?!
Posted by: wpost36 | August 17, 2010 5:26 PM
| Report abuse
What exactly could Mr. Bloomberg say to me, a parent of an two
African-American males when his states has the lowest graduation rate of
any jurisdiction for African-American males. I would tell him to fix
the hole in his gaping hole in his OWN sates educational practices
before you can come stumping for anyone, especially Mr. Fenty, who by
his own actions would much rather fill our young males head with empty
go-go tunes of broken English and backwards grammar and phonetics.
More importantly for me is the fact that in Mayor Bloomberg's city his Public Education System’s graduation rate of only 25 percent for Black male students is the lowest of any state. New York City, the district with the nation’s highest enrollment of Black students and many accolades for reform, only graduates 28 percent of its Black male students on time.
For the full report, “Yes We Can: The 2010 Schott 50 State Report on Black Males in Public Education,” including national summary and detailed state data, go to www.blackboysreport.org.
More importantly for me is the fact that in Mayor Bloomberg's city his Public Education System’s graduation rate of only 25 percent for Black male students is the lowest of any state. New York City, the district with the nation’s highest enrollment of Black students and many accolades for reform, only graduates 28 percent of its Black male students on time.
For the full report, “Yes We Can: The 2010 Schott 50 State Report on Black Males in Public Education,” including national summary and detailed state data, go to www.blackboysreport.org.
Posted by: lacairaine | August 17, 2010 6:12 PM
| Report abuse
Mr. Mayor Bloomberg, you need to be focusing on the Mosque that
may be built @ Ground Zero. Maybe you should consider hiring Fenty once
he loses this election-since only you believe that he gets the job done.
Posted by: beautifiedone | August 17, 2010 6:14 PM
| Report abuse
i dont know why Bloomberg came to DC just to support Fenty he
doesnt live here he has no infulence in the election the DC residents
dont care what Bloomberg has to say
did Fenty really believe having Blooomberg here would help him in the elections no i dont think so
so yes fenty copied some of bloombergs "style" if we can call it that bu t i wonder who else has fenty copied style from
fenty is a young man who cant do a mayors job by himself he probably has a whole rack of people tellin him what to do and he takes all the credit so he can make himself look good (shake my head)
did Fenty really believe having Blooomberg here would help him in the elections no i dont think so
so yes fenty copied some of bloombergs "style" if we can call it that bu t i wonder who else has fenty copied style from
fenty is a young man who cant do a mayors job by himself he probably has a whole rack of people tellin him what to do and he takes all the credit so he can make himself look good (shake my head)
Posted by: lola93 | August 17, 2010 6:16 PM
| Report abuse
What the Bloomberg endorsement says is that DC (especially the
work of Fenty & Rhee) is respected nationally at being at the
forefront of municipal government and education reform, even if many DC
residents don't recognize or acknowledge it. There is precedent for
this. People complained about Williams while the rest of the region
& nation celebrated him as a leader. Not too long ago, DC had a
mayor who was a joke and made the city a national laughing stock, but DC
voters elected him anyway. One day my fellow citizens will recognize
progress and not get caught up in the old rhetoric and political games.
Posted by: RCDC | August 17, 2010 6:34 PM
| Report abuse
It never a done deal in Washington. D.C. so if you think that bloomberg have some power here you are mistaken
Posted by: ruckoneword | August 17, 2010 6:49 PM
| Report abuse
Have everyone noticed that we had NO Baseball ticket drama this year!
Fenty is a real tool.
Fenty is a real tool.
Posted by: Special_One40 | August 17, 2010 7:11 PM
| Report abuse
First of all, Who cares who Bloomberg endorses?
Second of all, he thinks DC gov. is more transparent? He must be smoking the same stuff Fenty is if he really believes that.
Third, school reform in NYC--which Michelle Rhee has copied in DC--has FAILED MISERABLY as it is failing miserably here in DC. (Note decline in elementary test scores this spring. Elementary schools have historically RISEN, not declined.)
Give it up Fenty. This was not a feather in your cap. It was a move of desperation for a man who has a snowball's chance in hell of being re-elected mayor of DC.
I don't think Gray is a panacea but he's definitely better than what we currently have.
Second of all, he thinks DC gov. is more transparent? He must be smoking the same stuff Fenty is if he really believes that.
Third, school reform in NYC--which Michelle Rhee has copied in DC--has FAILED MISERABLY as it is failing miserably here in DC. (Note decline in elementary test scores this spring. Elementary schools have historically RISEN, not declined.)
Give it up Fenty. This was not a feather in your cap. It was a move of desperation for a man who has a snowball's chance in hell of being re-elected mayor of DC.
I don't think Gray is a panacea but he's definitely better than what we currently have.
Posted by: UrbanDweller | August 17, 2010 7:45 PM
| Report abuse
Since when do we DC voters need guidance from NY's Mayor as to whom we should vote for?
Posted by: ObjectiveReader1 | August 18, 2010 9:32 AM
| Report abuse
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