Bloomberg: Any Questions On Train Derailment, Call 311

The mayor, or somebody using his twitter account, issued the following statement on the Metro North train derailment:

Thoughts and prayers with those impacted by today's train derailment. If you are looking for a loved one who was onboard, call 311.
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) December 1, 2013

Call 311.

That's his advice.

Gee, thanks for your concern, Mr. Mayor.

I'd say this is outrageous, but we've seen this kind of detachment from him for the entire 12 years he has been in power.

What paralyzing blizzard that's keeping ambulances from getting to people in need?

Go take in a Broadway show.

Before Sandy, he said the storm was going to be no big deal and the Monday after would be a regular work day.

It wasn't until Cuomo shut down the MTA that he was finally forced to call an evacuation of Zone A flood areas.

Somehow the press sells this guy as the bestest mayor ever, a hyper-efficient chief executive who "gets things done."

But the reality is, at some of the bigger moments of his mayorality, he has been MIA.

The press has, for the most part, let him get away with this.

Boxer Day was the only time he got beat up a bit for his detachment.

A Metro North derailment may not approach the crisis proportions of Sandy or the Boxer Day Blizzard, but his refusal to fly back to NYC and to make an appearance at the press conference or scene of the crash, would not be tolerated from any other mayor.

This is a tragedy, with 4 people reported dead and 63 injured - 11 seriously.

Alas, billionaire mayors get away with telling people to call 311 and then going back to playing with their dogs on the Bermuda beach.

Bloomberg's Whereabouts Unknown, Aides Refuse To Say Where He Is

Horrific train derailment in NYC today.

Governor Cuomo was at the scene, updating New Yorkers on the injuries and fatalities, giving out information, just doing the kinds of things a chief executive should do in a time of tragedy.

Mayor Bloomberg on the other hand was MIA:

Mayor @MikeBloomberg not at news conference on train derailment. Spokesman has not answered questions as to mayor's whereabouts.
— jdavidgoodman (@jdavidgoodman) December 1, 2013

NYT's @jdavidgoodman: Bloomberg aides wont discuss his whereabouts/absence from train accident scene. Fits pattern of when he's out of town
— Michael Barbaro (@mikiebarb) December 1, 2013

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out he's out of the country, probably in Bermuda with his consort Diana Taylor and their dogs, Bonnie and Clyde.

As with the Boxer Day Blizzard, Bloomberg has left the operations of the city in the hands of deputy mayors.

On a day like today, when at least four people have been killed (and 60+ injured) in a train derailment in the Bronx, couldn't Bloomberg get off the couch and fly his plane back to JFK and show up at the scene of the tragedy?

Seriously, it just shows respect for the victims and their families.

You can bet if these deaths were caused by guns rather than a train crash, Bloomberg would have flown back ASAP and held a press conference to decry gun violence and publicize his gun control lobbying efforts.

But this train derailment?

Not only isn't he flying back to the scene, his aides won't even say where he is.

Those actions speak volumes.