New York, NY – A bottomless campaign chest, healthy approval ratings, the power of incumbency – how can Mayor Bloomberg lose?
There’s no one answer, but plenty of guesses.
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A major scandal of some sort might have the power to thwart Bloomberg’s hopes for a third term, said David Birdsell of the Baruch College School of Public Affairs.
“It would have to be something heinous, prurient or both – with photos,” Birdsell said.
Barring that, a “detailed, high-profile conflicts disaster with Bloomberg LP” could do the trick, Birdsell guessed.
A Democratic operative offered another possible risk for the billionaire mayor: His highly advertised image as a skilled, successful manager could be hurt by “something that eats away at his ‘competence’ factor, i.e., they really [screw] something up big-time.”
Bloomberg’s temperament could also come into play. “I would try to push his buttons,” the operative said. “Voters don’t see it, [but] he has a bit of a thin skin.”
Anything from a cringe-worthy verbal gaffe to a divisive race-based dispute could happen between now and November.
So Bloomberg’s campaign staff – publicly and privately – continues to say it’s no sure thing, even though 58% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans in a recent Marist poll said they liked the job he’s doing, and a full 81% think he works hard for the city. “We are working hard and don’t take anything for granted,” Bloomberg spokesman Howard Wolfson said.
Still, for most politicians, being in Bloomberg’s shoes would be a dream come true.
He was able to spend well over $80 million in each of his two previous runs and may well spend more this time.
Some observers – even those who plan to back Democrat William Thompson, the city controller, in his fight to best Bloomberg – suggest it would almost literally take a miracle to stop Bloomberg.
Former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer has a firsthand understanding of Bloomberg’s built-in upper hand. Ferrer, who’s now with Mercury Public Affairs, isn’t laying any bets against the mayor, who grossly outspent and beat him in 2005.
“I would say spending that kind of money immunizes you from the fallout of any mishap, blunder or scandal known to man- and womankind,” he said.
So that’s it. We’re up the creek, basically. Unless we get a neis.
Who wants to keep paying his taxes. He keeps raisinmg them but not paying them for uis. Then he says he is hiring people 4,000 and goes and fires the same amount or close to it. Sure he is going to hire!!! He will some shmuck some poor guys job that he fired!! So for 6 to 8 months he does not have to pay health ins. and payroll taxes!!. Un. ins., is cheaper!!
I would hope the experts are wrong.I can’t see him winning. If he does it will be impossible to live here. Everything would double. Every ince you drive your car you will be taxed. We will have taxes on shopping bags, boxes, you name it. Let’s throw this bum out.
Who are the paid experts?NYC voters hates him even the Daily News reporter quotes that even after spending $18 Million his numbers didn’t change that’s bad news for bloomy and Thompson numbers moved up so it will be NO miracle if he looses. NYC voters are not stupid if we will re elect him we all going to be naked no money our pockets. So don’t believe this “paid experts”.
Please hashem, save us from this man.
With all of your issues bloomberg has improved the city, may be some of you have short memories, but the city was humming like never befre in the last few years. And unlike the rest of the united states new yorkers arent stupid and they give him high approval ratings, in fact the only time I hear complaints that are insulting to the mayor is when I am on VIN. Sure people complain about the high cost of living, but they usually understand what they are getting for the fees and taxes; yiou are getting much motre here than from the federal governments much higher taxes
i can promise you that. The only time I ever hear someone refer to him as a bum is on VIN and that is sad. Beleive me if the city were running with a deficit we have other issues that you wouldnt like and you would still call him a bum. The alternative Bill
Thomson is not better.
I don’t care about this prediction. I am so hurt and upset and bothered by his tickets and his fines and his taxes, that I will vot for whoever runs against him bli neder, because he set it up so that the middle class, which has now become the struggling class, is the group that is the most severely taxed and burdened, while the illegal aliens and the welfare members get enough to keep them unburdened. I am tired of paying my large taxes so that illegals can hitch up to New York City to have their babies here for free and then go to these schools and then get funded from Mr. Bloomberg’s policies. Also, I don’t like his army of Dunkin Donuts members who drag their 300 pound bodies around and slap tickets on the cars of those who pay their salaries. I also am against ALL THE HIKES in other taxes too, not just the parking fines and the sanitation fines, but the real estate taxes and other raised taxes that Mr. Bloomberg engineered.
Well lets see. Do NYC’ers want to pay more in taxes?
Do they NYC’ers want to pay a tax for any and all conveniences, all under the guise of the man made global warming hoax being perpetrated by the left?
Do NYC’ers want to continue to fund the coffers of the city with much responsibility from the city to actually CUT its budget?
Term limits were established for a reason and you need to think about the reasons. You should also think CLEARLY about how Mayor Mike was able to run for another term. Let’s just say it wasn’t totally legal as it wasn’t brought to a vote of the people.
Anyone BUT Mike!!!
It’s telling that his popularity among Repubicans is lower than it is among Democrats, and yet he plans to run as a Republican, in order to get an easier time in the primary. The man has always been a liberal Democrat, and he belongs in the Democratic primary.
He can only win if people vote for him so it cost nothing to vote. So if people are so dumb and vote for him because je spends 80 million it serves them right to eat him for 4 or I don’t know how many more years
His annoying telemarketing calls to vote for him-is worse than those car warranty calls. Im on the do not disturb list but he gets away with calling. I Hope he gets voted out-but then maybe hell make a amendment that he has to stay like he did to run a third time-hes a BUM!!
Its a miracle that these pundits even have a job. The sentiment on the street among hard working New Yorkers is that he is pushing them out of NY with the high taxes. He has proposed a whole list of new “fees for living in New York”. Many wealthy and middle class are moving out. It was during Mayor Mikes term that for the first time in years, the number of people leaving NY was significantly higher that those moving in.
His vision and priorities for NY is not the same as what most of us want.
It will take a good opposition candidate to defeat him. We need a candidate that can connect with everyday New Yorkers. We need a candidate that can relate to economic hardship facing NYers. Unfortunately, none of the current known candidates stands a chance. Thompson has long been a divider and not a uniter.
He was an excellent Mayor – but enough is enough. This man is making it impossible for the regular working-class person to live in NY. He runs the city like a business. If he doesn’t have the income to cover his expenses, he just raises the income via nuisance taxes: more PVB tickets, higher sales tax, higher real; estate taxes, tax on water and soda coming up, etc etc.
Because he is so wealthy, he just can’t comprehend the problems of the plain folk, and he will force us out of the city.
Why doesn’t he force out the immmigrants and welfare people, and all others on the dole???
He just doesn’t understand.
So enough is enough!!
Sometimes I think that any body will be better than Mayor Mike! He does not know what it is to suffer the subways early in the mornings — the sardine cans. He has nice subway cars, we have the old ones!! By the time you get to work you feel like you need a shower!! He does not know what it is NOT TO HAVE!!!!! If he lost his money today what would he do??? He may be smart but he has other people doing the thinking with him!! He is not doing it ALONE!! He might be getting the credit, but he is not doing it ALONE!!!
since he came into office:
he RAISED property taxes 5 fold!!
ask anyone who owns a multifamily house.
he RAISED water fees by 50 percent!!
he RAISED lately the meters by 33 percent!!
and RAISED the parking tickets $65 to 125!!
hired a army of fat rude blood suckers who wait your meter should expire or wait for the SECOND that the alternate side parking should kick in . and we idiots come running with the pants down a SECOND late and you find your auto already on the towing truck.
yea and he RAISED the fee from $95 to $185!!
he sends out his GESTOPO (HPD)
to fine you right and left.
and don’t forget the DOB that fine you for every little thing $5000!!
while crains and building keep on collapsing.
he’s a SHMUCK who laughs in your face while he’s we all bleed to death
he messed up the city with thousands of bike riders who don’t have insurance and don’t obey ANY laws. driving thru traffic lights. passing by buses while uploading with our children etc.
took down lanes for cars to make it difficult to drive around.
ordering the NYPD not to write crime reports.if they show up at all.
in order to show that crime had dropped yet another year!
I can waste my whole day writing how much this SELFISH PIG has hurt the average man in the city.
but he laughs at us all the way to the bank!
by bribing EVERYONE who is in the media or in politics.
so when they show up on TV or radio they only have good and kind words about him.
BUT WE THE LITTLE GUYS WONT FALL HIS MONEY AND POWER!!
WE WILL VOTE HIM OUT OF OFFICE
WE WILL UMILIATE HIM WITH A DOUBLE DIGIT DEFEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since Bloomberg has been in office and his taxes and tickets have been going up, up, up, how many people have moved from the 5 boroughs???????to other states??? or countries???
Since Bloomberg has been in office and his taxes and tickets have been going up, up, up, how many people have moved from the 5 boroughs???????to other states??? or countries???
To #20 Name a few good things he does for New Yorkers other than hire the 300 lb ticket writers to give us ulcers???????and steal our money!!!!!!
don’t beleive everything you read in the Media everybody can be beat it all depends on us voters and we will iy”h vote in a new Mayor for NYC, remember everybody is replaceable, Time For Change!
When Guiliani tried to get a third term he was mocked for wanting to crown himself king. And now we’re prepared to give Bloomberg a third term. Bring back Rudy!
I’m going to vote for anybody and not for this guy who dosnt know what means to take out a dollar from his pocket enough is enough let’s all vote against him.
And let’s not buy whatever he is trying to tell you in all his campaign ads that he did this or that good thing for the city that’s all belony. All the tickets went up and now he minimzed the time on the parking meters this guy dosnt know what means a dollar
Let’s all vote him out from gracie mention
Let’s vote for anybody but bloomy enough is enough dont fall for his ego and his dumb nonsense anybody can do the same he is Not creative at all he needs money he finds another way to tax us more money for meters slaps us with unbeliveable hikes on water bills, I’m voting you out of Gracie Mansion