New York Times Criticizes NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio

Few Democrats were excited when New York Mayor Bill de Blasio entered the presidential race in May.

Now, they are downright sick of him.

“The New York mayor turned quixotic presidential candidate seems sick of his city – and the feeling is mutual,” reported the New York Times on Tuesday.

(Everyone already knew this, but for the Times to come out and say it is a big deal. If de Blasio were actually in the running to become the Democratic nominee, something like this would have a huge impact).

According to the latest polls, only 26% of New York voters like de Blasio (that’s even lower than Trump’s 35% approval rating in New York).

“Perhaps Trump can take some solace in the fact that as unpopular as he is in his home state, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is even more unpopular,” jokes Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.

In terms of running for president, polls show de Blasio with less than 1% support from Democratic voters. That means he won’t be appearing in the next Democratic primary debate.

At the YMCA, de Blasio regularly uses, critics have posted flyers reading: “By entering these premises, you agree not to run for president.”

Even those who aided de Blasio’s 2013 mayoral campaign have refused to join his presidential campaign. One of them – John Del Cecato – is working for rival candidate Pete Buttigieg.

In commenting on de Blasio’s remarkable isolation, former New York Congressman Charles Rangel said: “I don’t know a goddam person that’s his buddy – nobody.”

A big part of New Yorkers’ dislike for de Blasio is his dislike for New York City.

De Blasio did not grow up in New York, and from the very beginning of his mayorship has seemed more focused on larger goals for the Democratic Party than on running the city.

As a result, de Blasio has failed to achieve virtually all of his goals for the city and in the meantime, it appears his dreams for progressive leadership were stolen by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – neither of which received his support.

When asked by Pod Save America host Tommy Vietor whether she was excited about de Blasio’s presidential announcement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said: 

“Seriously…We need a mayor who is going to be on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said James. “And so I ask the question – has the crisis in affordable housing been addressed? No. Has income inequality been addressed? No.”

She went on to ask about the following issues, with the audience chanting “No” to each one:

• Equal pay for equal work?
• Increasing rate of cycling deaths
• Environmental issues
• School segregation

“So what is the legacy, what are you running on?” she asked de Blasio. “So all of these issues and more…but the question is WHY?”

Editor’s note: De Blasio appeared to do well in the debates, but everyone knows that his city hates him. However this may be his only move to keep his political career alive. He might have lost a re-election race for New York City, but even a failed president campaign could open new doors for him at the federal level.