Say this about Mayor de Blasio as the entire political world awaits news from his much-heralded sitdown with US Attorney Preet Bharara: He’s more than happy to talk about the weather.
And, to be fair, with Niko still raging amid Thursday morning’s press conference, reporters weren’t asking about anything else.
On the other hand, he did skip the “snow emergency” presser the night before — because, he said, his minions had everything well in hand. Not that that’s ever stopped a New York mayor from grabbing headlines if he thinks they’ll help him.
Maybe de Blasio just wanted to focus on accepting the United Federation of Teachers endorsement the same night. Or been more worried that, with the snow not yet falling, the media might be too eager to ask the kind of “off-topic” questions he tries to ban.
After all, it was just eight days earlier that he stormed out of a press conference after two reporters in a row dared pose queries on “unapproved” topics. The next day, he refused reporters’ questions up in Albany.
He makes the time for short, fast radio hits — the kind guaranteed not to go off-topic — as well as longer, but controlled, one-on-ones on NY1 plus the WNYC call-in.
Queens City Councilman Eric Ulrich (who’s flirting with a run against the mayor) says de Blasio has been “more concerned with his political survival than managing the affairs of the city.” That’s an allusion to all those pay-to-pay criminal probes. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli just killed the sale of a Staten Island site to Broadway Stages because that firm is caught up in the investigations.
Yet the unprecedented “on-topic” rules have also allowed the mayor to stay mum on the Administration for Children’s Services mess, even after his own DOI slammed “systemic” and “high-level” dysfunction at ACS.
Not all traditions are sacred: After what happened the last time de Blasio ventured to Staten Island on Groundhog Day, no one blames him for leaving those festivities to other, more sure-handed officials.
But New Yorkers don’t expect their mayor to hide in his lair simply for fear that, if he comes out, he might see the shadow of a few tough questions. We’re glad he’s deigning to let the press go “off-topic” on Friday afternoon. Any chance of making it a habit?
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