BY SCOTT STIFFLER | January 21, 2013: Before the final balloon made its trip from the rafters to the floor, more than one TV pundit had seized the opportunity to pivot from Obama’s inauguration to the viability of Hillary in 2016. Thinking so many steps ahead that you’re actually playing the next game of chess is a move largely driven by the political machine’s relentless forward momentum. As such, electeds arrive at the podium for their acceptance speeches with a new campaign cycle already beginning to cast its shadow.
At least the next time around, they’ll be running on a record of accomplishments, as opposed to the promises that put them in office. That assessment inspired our final question — when NYC Community Media recently met with the five democratic candidates for mayor, as well as the two looking to fill the District 3 City Council seat being vacated by Speaker Christine Quinn.
As our publisher and the editors of Chelsea Now, Gay City News and The Villager/East Villager looked on, Josh Rogers of Downtown Express asked:
“We have a question, and it’s a fill-in-the-blank. I won’t deserve to be reelected unless I am able to accomplish_____?”
PUBLIC ADVOCATE BILL DE BLASIO
We need to address income disparity…and achieve universal Pre-K and after-school program. If I can’t show progress in four years on those things, I shouldn’t be reelected.
CITY COMPTROLLER JOHN LIU
Unless I create good jobs, build decent housing and fix our schools.
CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CHRISTINE QUINN
Unless I am able to keep crime down, improve schools and move us towards more jobs and more affordable housing.
FORMER CITY COMPTROLLER BILL THOMPSON
Unless I’m able to make this a more affordable city. Unless I’m able to increase opportunity in this city.
FORMER U.S. REP. ANTHONY WEINER
Unless I’m able to convince the middle class and those struggling to make it that their lives are better.
DISTRICT 3 CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES
CB4 CHAIR COREY JOHNSON
I won’t deserve to be reelected if I don’t bring more truly moderate, middle and low affordable housing to these communities — if I don’t work with and help local schools, bring class sizes down and get the resources they deserve, and if I don’t partner up with the community to try to find a solution to getting a hospital for the lower West Side.
CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY YETTA KURLAND
I’m not going to deserve to be reelected unless I use my best efforts to be an advocate for my community, to continue to fight to restore a hospital for our community, to fight to protect jobs and small businesses and to work to make sure our community has a voice and can stand up to some of the powerful special interests like real estate.
