Fighting uphill battle, Bill Thompson tries to make his case

6/11/09
bill thompson
By Jason Fink

Fighting uphill battle, Bill Thompson tries to make his case

Photo credit: Urbanite

By Jason Fink

It may not quite be David vs. Goliath, but it’s close.

Presumed Democratic mayoral nominee Bill Thompson is facing a financial juggernaut and popular incumbent whose ubiquitous TV ads and glossy brochures have been blanketing the city for months.

Contrast that with Thompson, who, according to a recent poll, is virtually unknown to 72 percent of New Yorkers.

Such a number looks daunting for a man who’s spent much of his adult life in public office, including the last eight years in a citywide post, comptroller in a heavily Democratic city.“He’s had an inability to define himself,” said Democratic political consultant, Evan Stavisky. “It is going to be extremely difficult for Bill Thompson to get any traction.”

It is this conventional wisdom – that Mayor Michael Bloomberg, with his $16 billion fortune and 60 percent approval ratings, is virtually unbeatable – that Thompson seeks to dispel.

“The first thing is getting past this feeling of inevitability,” Thompson said in an exclusive interview this week. “Yes, he can be beat.”

The Bloomberg camp declined comment, but political experts inside and outside the campaign say Thompson must do three things between now and Election Day: introduce himself to voters, make the case against Bloomberg, and time his move right.

Making himself known to voters

Thompson is limited to $6 million in spending before the September primary, when he faces token opposition in Councilman Tony Avella from Bayside.

With no TV ads, Thompson is relying mostly on press coverage, leafleting and grass roots organizing. His appearances have increased in recent months, speaking out on high-profile issues such as mayoral control of the schools, the MTA bailout and the current leadership battle in the state senate.

“It’s going to be tough but he has to push through,” said potential voter, Aziz Jackson, 40, of Harlem. “He has to put himself out there.

Case against Bloomberg

Thompson has been quick pitting himself against Bloomberg, denouncing the mayor on everything from his opposition to raising income taxes on the wealthy to his support of work requirements for certain food stamp recipients.

Thompson has also made water rate hikes a pet cause, last week calling for the re-organization of the water board.

“If somehow or another Thompson can tangle Bloomberg up in that (populist) rage he may have an opening,” said David Birdsell, dean of Baruch College. “The risk on that is it’s essentially a negative play.”

It’s about timing

Most voters don’t pay attention until after Labor Day. Once the general election begins, Thompson will have no spending limit because Bloomberg has opted out of the public financing system and may drop $80 million on the campaign.

“Our strategy . . . has been don’t spend a lot of money now,” said Eddy Castell, Thompson’s campaign manager, who added that TV advertising will come in the fall. “Come September, the lights will come on.”

Shayndi Raice contributed to this story.
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Fighting uphill battle, Bill Thompson tries to make his case

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