Yet another sign of Democratic disunity in New York was on display yesterday when the ethically-challenged Congressman Charlie Rangel couldn't manage to side with his party for the upcoming mayoral election. Rangel is known for blowing off the press in regards to his own corruptive nature, but this is the first I've heard of him blowing off the Democratic party.
From The Daily Politics:
So with Bill Clinton at his side, Rangel took out a figurative pistol and shot Thompson in the foot, while the former President looked on without comment. As much as I would hope that Rangel could endorse Thompson (or even Avella) on his own and show that he cares about his local party, the disloyality goes much deeper than just one Harlem Congressman. What we need is leadership and currently, there is none.At separate events today, two Democratic heavyweights - Rep. Charlie Rangel and former President Bill Clinton - were effusive in their praise of Mayor Bloomberg, and although both stopped short of endorsing his re-election outright, they didn't announce support of his opponent, Comptroller Bill Thompson, either.
Rangel, a veteran Harlem pol and dean of the congressional delegation, said he is not ready "at this time" to take sides in the mayor's race, despite the fact that Thompson is vying to become only the second African American to hold the post in the city's history.
The DN's Erin Einhorn reports from a Harlem affordable housing announcement that Rangel said Bloomberg has "done a great job," but also added: "Having the comptroller being prepared to be able to run, I think, is totally unfair and the way that term limits have been removed."
Asked point-blank whether he has decided who he will back, Rangel said: "Not yet, no."
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