Everyone rushed to Staten Island this morning to deal with the wreckage and the injuries from the latest ferry crash -- everyone, that is, except Mayor Bloomberg.
"The mayor is monitoring the city response," spokesman Jason Post said. Post didn't say where he was monitoring it from, repeating the canned line from the past nine years that Bloomberg's personal time is, well, personal.
He pointed out that Bloomberg didn't make a personal appearance during the last major ferry crash with injuries, in July 2009, and the proper authorities seemed to respond just fine. As Bloomberg would surely point out if he were in front of a microphone today, his job is to hire people who can handle a ferry crash, not to fix it himself.
But the mayor's absence, while Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and the governor fielded questions, highlighted the inscrutable nature of the billionaire's private schedule.
His fondness for Bermuda weekends is well-known. As the owner of a private jet, he was able to celebrate last fall's election victory with an off-the-schedule dinner in Paris. And he has events in London and Berlin on Tuesday, so perhaps he headed there a bit early to check on his rowhouse on Cadogan Square in London.
Whatever the reason, Bloomberg's absence let Paterson fill a leadership void for the cameras, just as the two men are feuding over budget cuts. It created a great opportunity later in the afternoon too, as Paterson suddenly added a 6 p.m. event on his public schedule to "greet New Yorkers" at the corner where a failed car bomb paralyzed Times Square a week earlier.
Click through for the other citywide leaders' reaction.
“Obviously there should be an investigation because even though there were not any serious injuries, it’s something we want to avoid in the future,” Paterson told reporters at the scene. Later, the official city update went out under Sadik-Khan's name, not Bloomberg's
Controller John Liu and Public Advocate Bill deBlasio said they do not know where Bloomberg is. Nor does City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s staff. Liu, a frequent critic of Bloomberg, was fine with this.
“I haven’t been in contact with the mayor or his staff. Nor would I expect to be. The DOT commissioner was handing it. I don’t know what constrained the mayor,” Liu told the DN City Hall Bureau's Kathleen Lucadamo.
As the former head of City Council’s Transportation Committee, who held countless hearings on the 2003 ferry crash and last summer's as well, Liu was more troubled to hear another boat accident occurred.
“One incident can be isolated. Two in a row,” he said, noting this one and the one last summer were due to mechanical woes, “begs more questions.”
Looks like "Lord" Paterson is having a good old time being "Lord" and maybe he will run for re-election again?
Why do I say that, well "Defender of The Faith" Cuomo has a lot on his plate and more to come.
He has nothing to gain by running for "Lord" and everything to lose,
Why give up an easy re-election to "Defender of The Faith" and for the thankless job of "Lord"
I bet Bloomberg is fuming as he watches "Lord" Paterson steal the limelight I wonder how he will react to "Defender of THe Faith" Cuomo as "Lord"
Before there was the “Oracle at Delphi” there was Count Vampire J. Machiavelli
VJ Machiavelli
www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
No More Schumer, Pelosi, Rangel,Engel, and Arthur Finkelstein & Co
"After Four Years of Scandals it is time for Levy/Faso/Callaghan/Garcia"
My money is on Bermuda, too. So much for environmental conservation as he flies to and fro on his personal jet. He's a real man of the people!
Why New Yorkers re-elected this term limit overthrowing schemer yet again is a mystery to me. Y'all are crazy.
BTW, being Mayor of the Center of the Universe is a 24-7 job.
Topo
He won because "Big Brother" Obama and many Democrats threw Thompson under the bus along with the Press who keep saying what a Big Lead" he had in the polls.
These same members of the "Press" are claiming "Defender of the Faoth" Cuomo the winner based on the polls.
The "Press" has to do a better job when it comes to all these "Polls"
As of now Levy The Bold has the best shot based on the he is keeping "Defender of The Faith" Cuomo to 50% of the vote.
In fact no who ever becomes the new "Lord" is going to enjoy upstaging Bloomberg so he better get use to it.
He spent 110 Million Dollars for the pleasure of seeing "Lord" Paterson riding on the Ferry, I guess Thompson is having the last laugh.
Before there was the “Oracle at Delphi” there was Count Vampire J. Machiavelli
VJ Machiavelli
www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
No More Schumer, Pelosi, Rangel,Engel, and Arthur Finkelstein & Co
"After Four Years of Scandals it is time for Levy/Faso/Callaghan/Garcia"
Dear Adam
Maybe the question should be "would you spent 110 Million Dollars to become the "Prisoner of Manhattan"
One could say he spent all that money to become a prisoner for the next four years.
He was warned that there is a three term jinx but I guess he thought it would pass him by.
Day by day hour bt hour he will realize that there is third term jinx and he now has it.
Weather it is bombing plot that fails a ferry that crashes or a "Lord" who outshines him he has three years and 7 months to go before he can be released.
Most people spend millions to keep out of prison not to stay in
So Mayor Bloomberg enjoying being the "Prisoner of Manhattan" it will only get worse, but at leased you are allowed out on weekends as long as no one notices.
Before there was the “Oracle at Delphi” there was Count Vampire J. Machiavelli
VJ Machiavelli
www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
No More Schumer, Pelosi, Rangel,Engel, and Arthur Finkelstein & Co
"After Four Years of Scandals it is time for Levy/Faso/Callaghan/Garcia"
For a man who keeps saying how great this city is , he sure spends little time in this so called great city? anyhow, it is disgusting how out of touch this billionaire is with the city and the residents. It treats NYC as a vacation spot and not a home. and his uses our money as his personal account to rebuild this city in his own image.
NO MORE CHRISTINE QUINN
SLUSH FUNDS AND YET SHE ISN'T IN JAIL. WHY NOT?????
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/05/wheres-bloomberg.html#ixzz0nRL1E8SJ
The people of this country have a right to know when our President is out of the country. AND THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHEN OUR MAYOR IS OUT OF THE COUNTRY! The media is not doing its job if it doesn't insist that Bloomberg tell the people of this city when he is out of the country. The media is not doing its job if it lets Bloomberg get away with the phony argument that its his personal time.