I guess Joe Lhota (R) and the New York GOP didn't get the memo that their fear campaign isn't working:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/...
Lhota's ad, which is entitled "Can't Go Back," accused de Blasio of voting to "take over 5,000 cops off our streets." The ad also uses footage from the recent viral video showing bikers attacking a Manhattan motorist to argue de Blasio would have a soft response to "violent biker gangs."
To bring the point home, the ad closes with a series of vintage photos showing crime in New York while a narrator declares, "Bill de Blasio's recklessly dangerous agenda on crime will take us back to this."
"Don't let Bill de Blasio take New York backwards," the narrator says as a biker is shown smashing the window of a car with his helmet.
The Lhota campaign said the ad will air on broadcast TV stations citywide. It did not disclose how much money would be spent on it.
In a statement on the ad's release, Lhota's spokeswoman Jessica Proud explained in further detail why they believe a de Blasio administration would turn New York into a post-apocalyptic wasteland overrun with marauding bikers. - TPM, 10/16/13
I'll give Lhota some props for at least making his ads Halloween themed but scaring New Yorkers is his only real shot. Especially since de Blasio crushed him in last night's debate:
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Shedding the traditional play-it-safe strategy of a front-runner, Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, dominated the hourlong confrontation, pursuing the last word in every exchange, pleading with the panelists for longer response times and throwing his less agile opponent off balance with pointed cross-examinations.
Mr. Lhota, a Republican, arrived determined to raise questions about Mr. de Blasio’s thin managerial resume, to portray him as an overly conciliatory liberal unprepared to face down crime and to depict his social agenda as ruinous to the city’s already shrinking middle class.
Instead, Mr. Lhota spent much of the evening defending the fare increases during his time as chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, explaining why he met with Tea Party members on Staten Island and justifying his wish to delay the start of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
At times, Mr. Lhota was left to protest that Mr. de Blasio was trying to inaccurately “lump me with national Republicans.”
“It’s unbecoming, Bill,” said Mr. Lhota, a supporter of same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
But Mr. de Blasio kept on the same line of attack, repeating it over and over.
“The fact is he does subscribe to the views of the Republican Party that have hurt New York City,” Mr. de Blasio said. - New York Times, 10/15/13
Not to mention Lhota spent a good deal of his time defending Bloomberg and Giuliani's policies:
http://www.nydailynews.com/...
De Blasio went on to cite Lhota’s support of Mayor Bloomberg’s decision to give Fresh Direct tax subsides to prevent the grocery-delivery firm from moving to New Jersey.
“My opponent never met a corporate subsidy he didn’t like,” de Blasio said.
The issue of stop-and-frisk policing sparked an especially heated moment. De Blasio wants to overhaul the tactic; Lhota says it can be a useful tool if used correctly.
“Mr. Lhota has said he would want Ray Kelly to stay as police commissioner, even though Ray Kelly has been the architect of the overuse of stop-and-frisk that has had such a negative effect on the relationship between police and . . . many communities of color,” de Blasio said.
“I will not bash the man who’s lowered crime to levels we’ve never seen in the city before. We should be thanking him, not bashing him,” Lhota said.
“This is a classic Giuliani Republican tactic to say I’m bashing Ray Kelly,” de Blasio shot back. “I respect Ray Kelly. . . . I disagree with him fundamentally on the overuse of stop-and-frisk.” - New York Daily News, 10/15/13
While Lhota spends his time trying to scare voters, de Blasio's out there gathering his support for November:
http://politicker.com/...
With just three weeks to go before Election Day, Muslim leaders and activists gathered in Brooklyn to rally for Bill de Blasio today, hoping their various grievances with the Bloomberg administration would be addressed by a more sympathetic mayor.
Standing in a park just beyond the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall, the front-running Mr. de Blasio indicated he was indeed willing to listen to the community’s concerns, including honoring Muslim holidays in public schools.
“You know, for Muslim-American children, public schools are overwhelmingly where they go for their education,” he said. “We need to respond to their needs and all children’s needs … We have to respect people of Muslim faiths by providing the Eid school holidays for children in our school system.”
Drawing cheers of “B. D. B.,” Mr. de Blasio also expressed support for the Muslim community’s ongoing resistance to stop-and-frisk and fines on immigrant-run small businesses. - Politicker, 10/16/13
And I'm happy that he is still making this an issue:
http://politicker.com/...
Bill de Blasio, the leading candidate in this year’s mayor’s race, held a press conference in front of a Burger King today.
His issue? The low wages of fast-food industry workers.
“It is right, it is right for leaders in government to step up on behalf of these workers and help them organize to win their rights,” said Mr. de Blasio, who was the crowd-favorite when he and his then-Democratic opponents rallied for the same cause back in August.
In a short speech to advocates, including members of New York Communities for Change, Mr. de Blasio called for higher wages so that taxpayer dollars would no longer be needed to subsidize workers in the form of public assistance programs. - Politicker, 10/16/13
The election is November 5th. If you would like to help out or donate to de Blasio's campaign, you can do so here:
http://www.billdeblasio.com/
By the way, the de Blasio campaign is putting together another Weekend Of Action:
Bill was great in the debate last night, wasn't he?
I was watching at one of our Team de Blasio debate watch parties, and folks there were fired up to do whatever it takes for the next 20 days to make sure we win this thing.
The truth is, we've come a long way. I felt it last night -- the energy in the room was contagious. But there's way too much at stake in this election to take anything for granted now.
We're organizers. And good organizers know their work isn't over until they've left it all on the field.
Which is why we need you out there over the next 20 days knocking doors and talking to voters about the clear choice in this election. Will you sign up to spend a few hours with your neighbors this weekend working to bring progressive change to City Hall?
This is Our City Weekend of Action! Find out where to meet your neighbors and let them know you'll be there:
http://my.billdeblasio.com/...
This is our city. And we've only got 20 days left to elect a mayor who will make sure it works for all of us.
Win every day,
Emma
Deputy Campaign Manager
New Yorkers for de Blasio
You can click here to sign up:
http://my.billdeblasio.com/...