The Big “Mo”

The New York Times reports that “in the wake of the final debate in the mayoral contest, leading Democratic supporters of Fernando Ferrer have become increasingly resigned to the prospect of another victory for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on Election Day”, giving candidate Ferrer a nice, big boost in today’s news cycle:

But even as many Democrats say that Mr. Ferrer turned in solid, perhaps winning, debate performances, some of his staunchest supporters are openly losing faith that he will win on Nov. 8, assessing his chances with words like “miracle” and “hope.”

“If you look at the polls, you’d have to say, the mayor is likely to win,” said Geraldine Ferraro, a former Democratic congresswoman from Queens and the party’s vice presidential nominee in 1984. “I don’t believe in polls, but a lot of Democrats are saying, ‘It’s over.’ I know Freddy is not saying that, and I’m not saying that. You just have to hold out hope.”

Lewis A. Fidler, a city councilman who said his loyalists were working the streets every day, dropping off campaign brochures for Mr. Ferrer throughout his southeast Brooklyn district, echoed that sentiment.

“I’d be a moron to tell you I was confident,” he said. “I’m a Met fan and I’ve been a Met fan since 1962, so I am not adverse to being the underdog, and I always believe in miracles because I’ve lived through them.”

. . .

No Democrat interviewed yesterday would predict a Ferrer upset victory, and several, most of whom would speak only on the condition of anonymity, were calling the campaign all but lost.

“Mike Bloomberg is winning my district, and I suspect, short of something unexpected, my district isn’t the only one voting for the mayor,” said State Senator Liz Krueger, a Democrat who represents the East Side. “The truth is, I don’t know any Democrat who would say to you that they expect a change in administration on Nov. 8.”

With supporters like these . . .

Though I do have to say, things that make you go “hmmm” include but are not limited to the Times to writing a story like this six days out and with paragraphs like this without attribution:

Those who did express even a glimmer of optimism, tellingly, did so not because of Mr. Ferrer himself, who has been regarded as a decent man but a lackluster candidate. Rather, some Democrats cited the possibility that party loyalists would turn out in surprisingly large numbers for their nominee while Bloomberg supporters would wind up not voting on the assumption that victory was certain. [Emphasis obviously added!]

I kind of feel sorry for the man . . . except that I hate it when politicians fib before they’re even in office! So perhaps it’s his own fault.

Bad To Worse

For mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer yesterday, things went from bad (“Even Among Democratic Voters, Poll Finds Ferrer Is Well Behind”) to worse:

Here’s the picture that’s going to send Fernando Ferrer reaching for the Tums.

One week after endorsing the Democratic mayoral candidate, former President Bill Clinton encountered Mayor Bloomberg at a Waldorf-Astoria luncheon yesterday and — from the looks of it — both had a mighty swell time chewing the fat for five minutes. The politically powerful picture was snapped by the mayor’s photographer and quickly released by City Hall.

“The mayor was happy to see President Clinton,” said mayoral spokesman Ed Skyler, without providing details of the chat. “They’ve known each other for a long time and he enjoyed their conversation.”

One Clinton aide wasn’t too happy, though.

When four City Hall reporters rushed to a foyer off the Waldorf’s Grand Ballroom, where Clinton and Bloomberg were spotted in conversation, the Clinton aide angrily demanded they leave.

“No! No!” the aide shouted.

When he started getting physical with the reporters, Skyler intervened. “Don’t push around my press corps,” he told the Clinton staffer, who then backed off.

Clinton left moments later for the United Nations, with the mayor heard saying, “All the best.”

The political damage to Ferrer had been done.

The photo of a smiling Republican mayor joined by one of the most recognizable Democratic leaders in the world is a boost for Bloomberg in a city where Clinton is enormously popular.

Of course this was all a chance encounter — an accident — just like last time.

The Most Important Issues In The Mayoral Race

You know mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer is grasping at straws when he criticizes Mayor Bloomberg’s position not on affordable housing, high taxes or crime but rather Iraq, because of course one of the most important things a mayor can do is lead the country into war:

Trying to keep hard-core Democrats in his camp, Fernando Ferrer, the Democratic mayoral nominee, yesterday criticized Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg over his statements about the Iraq war and the need for more low-cost housing.

Mr. Bloomberg, who had previously said that the war was not a local issue, amended that comment yesterday by calling Iraq “a national issue and a local issue – we’ve lost 30 or so young men and women from this city.”

Yet the mayor, a Republican, also sought some political cover from Mr. Ferrer’s attack by asserting that his view on withdrawing troops was the same as the two Democratic senators from New York, Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who support Mr. Ferrer.

“I think everybody would love to get our troops home as quickly as is practicable,” he said, before adding that he goes “along with our senators” who have said that the troops must be supported while stationed in Iraq.

Mr. Ferrer criticized the mayor’s statements and his past financial donations and political support for President Bush and other Republicans who have supported the Iraq war.

“I don’t know what the mayor was thinking,” Mr. Ferrer said. “I think this is a local issue, and I think we should withdraw our troops. I think you also need to ask the mayor why it is he continues to support the president, the party, the Congress and the policies that have prosecuted this war.”

And that’s not to say this isn’t a two-way street. For his part, Hizzoner has tackled important city issues like John Roberts’ position on Roe v. Wade.

New York City — people here are all about the big issues!

Zero-Sum PR Or The “Look Fellas, We Tried” Strategy

The Post reports (in an “EXCLUSIVE”!) that Governor Pataki wants to put the kibosh on the MTA’s $50 million goodwill bribe:

Gov. Pataki is demanding the MTA put the brakes on its half-fare-for-the-holiday plan, saying the agency’s surplus would be better spent on security and building a new rail link to lower Manhattan, The Post has learned.

“Encouraging the use of mass transit and attracting more visitors to the city during the holiday season is always a good idea,” Pataki told The Post in a statement.

“However, the surplus should be prioritized to ensure the safety, reliability and future financial stability of our transportation infrastructure.”

Doesn’t this Good Cop/Bad Cop act work well for both sides? The MTA gets to say, “Look, Fellas — we tried!” while Pataki comes off as the sensible one. I like it!

The Sinking Ship

Democratic mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer cannot get a break; even the Clintons only barely are supporting him. Case in point — Bill Clinton appeared at a rally yesterday to support Ferrer but not before unplugging the sound system so no one could hear what the former President actually said:

For New York Democrats seeking to take back City Hall, it was supposed to be a picture-perfect moment: Bill Clinton in the Bronx yesterday to rally voters behind Fernando Ferrer, the party’s beleaguered candidate against Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

But a run-of-the-mill campaign stop turned into a bizarre frenzy after the Clinton team removed the entire sound system during a dispute with low-level Ferrer supporters, who were trying to make the event more dramatic. As a result, a crowd of 1,000 people could barely hear Mr. Clinton praise “this good man.”

Real classy!