Winning Without Al
The passivity of Al Sharpton.

By NR Editors
From “The Week,” December 3, 2001, issue of National Review

ichael Bloomberg, who won New York's mayoral race, was pushed into the end zone by the endorsement of hero-mayor Rudy Giuliani, and by the passivity of Al Sharpton. The Rev declined to campaign for Democrat Mark Green. In a contentious Democratic run-off, Green supporters pointed out that Fernando Ferrer would give Sharpton the keys to City Hall: reasonably enough, since Sharpton backed Ferrer with just such hopes in mind. But Green, after profiting from the tactic, had to disavow it in the general election, because the rules of New York City politicking hold that criticizing any black leader, for any reason, is racist (Giuliani broke those rules, but he was an anomaly). Bloomberg said one perfect thing in his victory speech: "New York is alive and well and open for business." He promised not to raise taxes, and one hopes his business instincts will hold him to his pledge and indeed move him to cut taxes. He will have to develop good instincts for dealing with race hustlers, though. He shook hands with a grinning Sharpton after his victory. Better count your fingers, Mr. Mayor.