Excellent essay. You were almost kind to Mario Procaccino!
I’d love to see a similar deep dive on the ‘77 race with Koch, Cuomo, Bella Abzug, Percy Sutton, and Herman Badillo .
Or perhaps something comparing the ‘93 face off between Giuliani and Dinkins with the '89 race.
Lindsey’s mayoralty though is also a cautionary lesson for Mamdani… Lindsey made mistakes and was “othered” as the out of touch WASP blue blood in ways that were not always fair.
Mamdani will have a lot of powerful revved enemies gunning for him from day one—most importantly the Trump administration, but also the ultra-wealthy, the NY Post and Fox News, Elon Musk’s social media machine, the AIPAC crowd (and those adjacent to it ), crypto bros, etc.
And I do wonder about his instincts and rhetoric on public safety and education, which are third-rail issues in city politics...the kind of things people really care about. I very much hope (and am guessing he will) that he’ll have talented, idealistic, practical, and innovative managers...that is really key.
The affordability issue is potent, but how much can a mayor do about that?
De Blasio tried and didn’t get too much credit for things like universal pre-k, rent freezes, increasing minimum wage to $15, free legal services for tenants, etc.
I’m reminded of the old Jesse Jackson line, “Vote Your Hopes, Not Your Fears.”
Zohoran Mamdani is the way foreward, every other democratic presidential candidates take notes for 2028. ✊, congressional democratic candidates also take notes for 2026.
After I read the essay I rummaged through a draw to find my “Lindsay Must Go,” lapel button.
The 40 day 68 teachers strike never should have happened, the Ford Foundation creation, the locally elected Community School Board “fired” 17 White teachers and Lindsay refused to intercede, as the strike dragged on Lindsay continued to step aside until a State judge ended the strike. Teachers returned on November 1. The strike shattered the city and in my view doomed Lindsay and pushed aside the progressive segment. Yes, Lindsay’s mishandling of the city’s finances led to the near 75 default.
The UFT stayed on the sidelines in the Democratic primary, a fractured membership, and in spite of a strong internal opposition endorsed Mamdani.
Campaigning is exciting, managing a city exceptionally difficult.
Mamdani has an opportunity, beyond grocery stores, bus routes and freezing some rent, he can reimagine the school system, the UFT would be onboard, there are many education experts probably willing to work with Mayor Mamdani…
To easy to get bogged in minutiae.. education needs a remake …
Exactly. Education is still key to success running a big city. And he needs to keep crime low and work with the other big class of city workers: the police 👮
Excellent essay. You were almost kind to Mario Procaccino!
I’d love to see a similar deep dive on the ‘77 race with Koch, Cuomo, Bella Abzug, Percy Sutton, and Herman Badillo .
Or perhaps something comparing the ‘93 face off between Giuliani and Dinkins with the '89 race.
Lindsey’s mayoralty though is also a cautionary lesson for Mamdani… Lindsey made mistakes and was “othered” as the out of touch WASP blue blood in ways that were not always fair.
Mamdani will have a lot of powerful revved enemies gunning for him from day one—most importantly the Trump administration, but also the ultra-wealthy, the NY Post and Fox News, Elon Musk’s social media machine, the AIPAC crowd (and those adjacent to it ), crypto bros, etc.
And I do wonder about his instincts and rhetoric on public safety and education, which are third-rail issues in city politics...the kind of things people really care about. I very much hope (and am guessing he will) that he’ll have talented, idealistic, practical, and innovative managers...that is really key.
The affordability issue is potent, but how much can a mayor do about that?
De Blasio tried and didn’t get too much credit for things like universal pre-k, rent freezes, increasing minimum wage to $15, free legal services for tenants, etc.
I’m reminded of the old Jesse Jackson line, “Vote Your Hopes, Not Your Fears.”
Zohoran Mamdani is the way foreward, every other democratic presidential candidates take notes for 2028. ✊, congressional democratic candidates also take notes for 2026.
After I read the essay I rummaged through a draw to find my “Lindsay Must Go,” lapel button.
The 40 day 68 teachers strike never should have happened, the Ford Foundation creation, the locally elected Community School Board “fired” 17 White teachers and Lindsay refused to intercede, as the strike dragged on Lindsay continued to step aside until a State judge ended the strike. Teachers returned on November 1. The strike shattered the city and in my view doomed Lindsay and pushed aside the progressive segment. Yes, Lindsay’s mishandling of the city’s finances led to the near 75 default.
The UFT stayed on the sidelines in the Democratic primary, a fractured membership, and in spite of a strong internal opposition endorsed Mamdani.
Campaigning is exciting, managing a city exceptionally difficult.
Mamdani has an opportunity, beyond grocery stores, bus routes and freezing some rent, he can reimagine the school system, the UFT would be onboard, there are many education experts probably willing to work with Mayor Mamdani…
To easy to get bogged in minutiae.. education needs a remake …
Exactly. Education is still key to success running a big city. And he needs to keep crime low and work with the other big class of city workers: the police 👮