Monday, June 17, 2013

Bloomberg: UFT Endorsement Is "Kiss Of Death"

He's kinda right about this:

The candidates vying to succeed him can "shill" all they want for the teachers union, but they may very well be wasting their time, Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters today, during a press conference at the education department headquarters near City Hall.

"The last time the U.F.T.'s endorsement got somebody elected was better than two decades ago, O.K.?" said Bloomberg. "It's almost the kiss of death."

Mulgrew responded:

 In a statement, UFT President Michael Mulgrew said, "Dozens of candidates in local and citywide elections have won with UFT backing in recent years, and many are seeking it this year, while running away from Bloomberg and his record. Right now most candidates would rather be the victim of zombie attack than get a Michael Bloomberg endorsement."

Actually Bloomberg is closer to the truth than Mulgrew and the UFT leadership want to admit.

The UFT hasn't endorsed a winning mayoral candidate since Dinkins.

The UFT rank and file don't even vote in their own union elections.

And the biggest GOTV effort the UFT put forth in the 2012 election was in Florida with retired teachers - you know, the kind who are ineligible to vote in a NYC mayoral election.

So the UFT leadership may think the UFT endorsement is "coveted," but frankly, Bloomberg isn't all that far off with his statement.

8 comments:

  1. Actually, the "kiss of death" was when Quinn produced a third,term for Scumberg.

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  2. ...With the help of the UFT "spittin' the bit" on endorsing Thompson.

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  3. It is just an indication of extremely foolish and shallow judgment by the UFT leadership in choosing their candidate.. I hope their endorsement of Thompson continues their pattern of "kiss of death" for their mayoral choice.

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  4. Your analysis is correct, however with such a crowded field and the anger toward Bloomberg this primary season the UFT phone banks and ability to get info out to public school families they make be a difference maker.

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    1. Maybe - but it hasn't matter in the recent ones with crowded fields. So I'm dubious.

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