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"What If Anthony Ran" Questions Surround 2009 Election
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 4, 2009
Modified Nov 4, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 4, 2009
Modified Nov 4, 2009
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Mayor Bloomberg's narrower-than-expected election win over Comptroller Bill Thompson has left people wondering not only what could have been if Thompson got more support but what might have happened if Rep. Anthony Weiner had run against Bloomberg instead. Politico reports that when Weiner said last night that maybe President Obama should have stumped for Thompson, “Maybe one of those Corzine trips could have been better spent in New York. Who knows?" a White House official fired back, "Maybe Anthony Weiner should have manned-up and run against Michael Bloomberg."
Weiner decided in May not to run for the job, explaining in a Times op-ed that Bloomberg's obscene wealth had something to do with his decision. Today, he's being called a coward, though the Observer's Steve Kornacki offers up some thinking about what could have happened if Weiner ran—maybe he could have won, but it's "not as automatic" as one would think, because, among other reasons, with his campaigning, "he also might have turned off more voters than Thompson ever did."
Weiner said last night, "Look, to some degree, Democrats need to look in the mirror. There are a lot of Democrats who voted to overturn term limits. There are a lot of Democrats who went and worked for and supported Republicans. I do think the Democratic Party in New York City--we have to do a better job, and I'd like to be involved in helping to get that party back together." And about not running this year, "I said when I dropped out that I did it for a couple reasons, and I think all of them have been redeemed."
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anthony weiner
Comptroller Thompson
election 2009
Election 2013
mayor bloomberg
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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