Democratic mayoral candidate and front-runner Bill de Blasio is having trouble remembering parts of his public record, drawing a complete blank on Wednesday regarding his former advocacy of placing transcendental meditation in the curriculum of New York City public schools.
A report by the Village Voice on Wednesday stated that de Blasio had written a letter to former school chancellor Joel Klein some time ago recommending the adoption of transcendental meditation into the public-school curriculum. De Blasio wrote, “The technique is strictly a mechanical, natural procedure that allows the mind and body to settle down to a deep state of rest.”
However, when the press questioned him on his apparent proclivity for mysticism, de Blasio responded “What are you referring to, please?” The reporter questioning de Blasio summarized the story and de Blasio’s letter, but de Blasio professed ignorance of his former proposal.
“I don’t remember the details,” he said, “if I thought there were some thinks like yoga and other things that could be used that might be effective. And I certainly think they should be looked at. I don’t know specifically what the letter is, but I know I’ve talked about whatever helps our young people.”
This is not the only recent instance of de Blasio’s difficulty in remembering old documents he authored. Earlier this week, de Blasio said he did not recollect describing himself as an advocate of “democratic socialism” at a meeting in the Nineties, as reported in the New York Times. “That’s not a quote from me,” he said. “That’s someone’s notes.” The Times noted, however, that the quote was drawn from notes de Blasio himself had kept at the meeting.