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New York, NY - Thompson Has No Regrets About Failed Campaign, Might Run Again |
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New York, NY - The Democrat who came within 50,000 votes of unseating billionaire New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg tells The Associated Press that he's open to running again.
William Thompson Jr. also says he's not bitter that some Democrats deserted his campaign when it seemed like a long shot.
Thompson said in an interview with the AP that he isn't ruling out any option for his next step. That includes running for mayor in 2013 or even a run for Congress.
The one thing he definitely won't do? Work in the Bloomberg administration.
Mayor Bloomberg should see his slim victory Tuesday night as a call for change from a worried city, Controller William Thompson told the Daily News.
"It was definitely not a mandate," Thompson said, referring to Bloomberg's 50.6% win.
"It was the people of New York saying and speaking loudly, 'We want to go in a different direction.' And I think he should pay attention to that."
In his first newspaper interview since his narrow 4.6-point loss, Thompson said his campaign gave voice to New Yorkers who believe the city is going in the wrong direction - and Bloomberg should listen.
"It wasn't just the term limit issue. You talk about the affordability issue in the city of New York and people not being able to afford to stay and live here," Thompson said.
"He should listen to what the voters said on Tuesday night."
Bloomberg claimed after his win that it was a mandate from a majority of voters, and said Thursday that he plans no changes in his approach to governing.
"In terms of myself, you know, I am what I am," Bloomberg said. "I want to make sure that we keep reaching out, making sure people have the ability to give us input and to listen to that input and to improve the city."
Thompson said he plans to deliver that message directly to Bloomberg if they sit down to talk next week, as the mayor said they would in their election night phone call.
Thompson tried to strike a magnanimous tone, and said he wouldn't complain about the negative ads and mailers that Bloomberg's campaign produced all year, even as the mayor said Thompson did a good job as the city's chief banker.
"The distortions? The lies? Those little things?" Thompson said. "While I can be angry about it, the mayor - he's the one who has to live with, you know, how negative his campaign was."
Thompson said he had no regrets about his run, which brought him far closer to victory than most expected.
For a few tantalizing moments as the votes were tallied Tuesday night, Thompson was just 2,000 votes behind an incumbent mayor who had outspent him more than 13 to 1, buried him in an avalanche of negative ads and cultivated an aura of inevitability.
As the results turned decisively against him that night, Thompson said he ran through some what-ifs - what he could have done with more money, more prominent endorsements and more professional staff instead of volunteers - but dropped that line of thought quickly.
"I just stopped that. That's not helpful," Thompson said. "When I woke up Wednesday, I would have liked to have woken up having won. But I was proud of the campign."
Thompson insisted he has not thought about his own future next, even as he has to start packing up to leave the office he has occupied for almost eight years. Earlier Thursday, he said, he met with Controller-Elect John Liu to start planning their transition.
And Thompson would not fan any flames by discussing any private-sector job offers, running on a statewide ticket next year or running again for mayor in 2013.
Thompson says his spending for this campaign will probably total about $9 million, after all the bills have been paid.
Bloomberg likely spent more than 10 times that.
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Read Comments (5) — Post Yours »
1
Nov 05, 2009 at 09:24 PM Charlie Hall Says:
How about running for Lt. Governor with Andrew Cuomo? Thompson could be a great asset in Albany.
2
Nov 06, 2009 at 03:37 AM Anonymous Says:
people voted against bloomberg, not for thompson.
best thing you can say about thompson is that he wasnt scared to take on bloomberg though.
3
Nov 06, 2009 at 01:42 AM Anonymous Says:
Sure he lost -blumy spent $180 on each vote!boy am I glad!
4
Nov 06, 2009 at 08:46 AM Yossi Says:
Thompson is a very good politician and he knows how to handle this mayoral loss...He has learned alot from his father Judge Thompson who was the chief judge in State Supreme court an d then was appellette judge for many years. He is a great Oyhev Yisroel always an open door for any jewish organization who needs his help..Chaval al Diavdin.....Its our loss
5
Nov 06, 2009 at 11:24 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Thompson is a very good politician and he knows how to handle this mayoral loss...He has learned alot from his father Judge Thompson who was the chief judge in State Supreme court an d then was appellette judge for many years. He is a great Oyhev Yisroel always an open door for any jewish organization who needs his help..Chaval al Diavdin.....Its our loss ”
Can you explain Al Sharpton standing at his side when he made his concession speech. Remember, people judge you by who your friends are.