Everything So Unexpected — The Way You Right And Left It*

Bloomberg acknowledges that he has nothing to gain by endorsing candidates this election cycle. But then he had to go and do this:

Mayor Bloomberg has made his feelings known about a top musical race, but he is staying out of the state races for governor and Senate, saying that his neutrality is what’s best for the city.

“I think because I’m the mayor, and I will have to work with whoever is elected,” Mr. Bloomberg told reporters yesterday, “it would be in the city’s interest if I just stay neutral.”

The mayor did make one major endorsement yesterday, throwing his considerable musical muscle behind Shakira in her bid for Video of the Year at tomorrow’s MTV Video Music Awards, which are being held at Radio City Music Hall. The Colombian pop star is up for the award for her hit single, “Hips Don’t Lie.” The other nominees are Madonna, Panic! At the Disco, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Christina Aguilera.

“I think I’m going to have to go with Shakira — those hips don’t lie,” Mr. Bloomberg said in a taped segment that aired yesterday on MTV’s popular video countdown show, “Total Request Live.”

. . .

Mr. Bloomberg is a registered Republican, but he has distanced himself from the party during his mayoralty, and Mr. Faso and the GOP candidates for Senate, John Spencer and Kathleen Troia “K.T.” McFarland, are well behind Mr. Spitzer and Mrs. Clinton in the polls. The mayor is seen as being close to Mr. Spitzer, the gubernatorial frontrunner.

Mr. Bloomberg’s flirtation with a presidential run also may have factored into his calculation, an Albany political analyst, Alan Chartock, said. “Clearly, he has a good relationship with Eliot Spitzer, but if he endorses him, he potentially damages his bona fides with Republicans, which he may need in case he runs for president on the Republican ticket,” Mr. Chartock said

*At least I refrained from the real cheap shot: “She Makes A Man Want To Speak Spanish.”

Clarke Wraps Up All-Important Murtha Endorsement

Your latest 11th Congressional District news . . . controversial Congressman Jack Murtha — who is on the right side of the Iraq War for a, er, primary in the 11th Congressional District but the wrong side of basically every other issue CD11 voters care about has endorsed (!) Yvette Clarke:

City Councilwoman Yvette Clarke (D-Flatbush), one of four Democratic hopefuls for the 11th congressional seat, announced a high-profile endorsement by Pennsylvania Rep. Jack Murtha, trumpeting him as a leading figure against the war in Iraq.

But Clarke’s opponents quickly pointed to Murtha’s anti-abortion stance and opposition to gun control.

. . .

Murtha earned an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association in 2004 for his votes against gun control — while most city reps got an “F.”

Murtha also earned a 0 out of 5 on a 2005 scorecard by the pro-choice group NARAL, compared to the 5s given to most city politicians.

“We’ll take the support of [Attorney General] Eliot Spitzer, [former Mayor] David Dinkins and Brooklyn’s teachers over a pro-gun, anti-choice, out-of-state congressman any day,” said state Sen. Carl Andrews’ spokeswoman Melissa DeRosa, referring to Andrews’ own endorsements in the race.

Clarke defended Murtha’s endorsement and said her own views on social issues are more important than Murtha’s.

“The voters know where I stand, and they’ll be voting for me on [Sept. 12].”

Opposition research . . . complete!

Meanwhile, David Yassky works hard to distance himself from one of the more controversial developers in Brooklyn (outside that one guy , of course):

Meanwhile, City Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn Heights) came under fire for nearly allowing controversial Brooklyn architect Robert Scarano to host a fund-raiser for him that was slated for last night.

The event, to be held at Scarano’s DUMBO offices, was abruptly canceled yesterday following calls by the Daily News.

. . .

A Yassky campaign spokesman would not discuss why the Scarano fund-raising event was canceled except to say, “The campaign didn’t think it was appropriate.”

Yassky has come under fire in the past for taking money from developers, while Scarano has sparked criticism in some neighborhoods for building condos that critics say are too big.

Scarano also was investigated by the Buildings Department for allegedly unsafe practices following worker injuries. He settled with the city last month and agreed to forfeit signing off on his own building plans.

Is it that hard to run a campaign, people? Come on!

I Don’t Care If The Post’s Idea Of “Hipster” Involves “Stylish Black Stretch Pants,” I Want You To Keep Gawkers Away From This

The last thing we need right now is to glorify white people like this:

A pair of hipster-looking bank bandits — who turned out to be a brother-sister robbery team — were busted yesterday for three heists in Manhattan, sources said.

Joe Kirby, 23, who is homeless and his sister Shemini, 20, who lives in The Bronx, are suspected of knocking over an Independence Bank branch on East 86th on Aug. 6. Details of the other two robberies, which also took place this month, were not immediately available.

The robbers cut a distinctive style when they were caught on surveillance cameras during the Independence robbery.

Kirby was clad in green cargo shorts, a gray T-shirt and a green hat. He was wearing trendy metal-framed sunglasses.

His sister, who served as lookout, wore stylish black stretch pants, a gray T-shirt with a leaf emblem and rubber flip-flops. She carried a small white purse, cops said.

Kirby passed a note and the duo allegedly made off with $2,470.

They were both arrested in Manhattan last night and charged with three counts of robbery and possession of stolen property.

On the other hand, there’s an opportunity for a Fox series here — and three makes it a trend — called “When Well-Educated White People Do Naughty Things.” Cases one and two are Peter Braunstein and Julia Diaco.