Well, Kathryn, I certainly think that Bloomberg’s time as mayor has included some fine achievements (including the 311 service that Reihan refers to), but it certainly hasn’t all been roses. To take just a few examples, Bloomberg’s (sadly much-imitated) smoking ban was a piece of thuggery that will forever stain his record, he has reduced the Times Square area to a shambles, the ludicrous Olympics bid was a destructive piece of showboating, the proposed congestion charge (modeled on London’s disastrous and unpopular scheme) was an absurdity, and the transfat and salt jihads are simply beyond parody.

I shall, of course, be voting for him.