Quinn's Election Year State of the City Speech Featured The Middle Class Squeeze

Council speaker and mayoral candidate, Christine Quinn's State of the City Speech, delivered at City Hall, focused mainly on a new City Council study that shows the city's middle class has been shrinking as a percentage of the city’s workforce. The word 'Middle Class' was mentioned 44 times in the speech and 'working class' 5 times. 

The so-called, "Middle Class Squeeze" report found the unemployment rate for middle-income residents is at an all time high of 6.2%. 

'Show Me The Money' Vs. 'Look Who's Talkin'.

Mayoral candidates Bill de Blasio and Bill Thompson had a mini quarrel over Thompson’s pledge to grow the NYPD by more than 2,000 cops if he is elected mayor. Mr. de Blasio suggested Thompson ain't seeking to back up his campaign rhetoric by deeds, since the city can’t afford to increase police manpower from 34,800 to 37,000. The extra cops would cost the city about $200 million a year, a increase of about 5 percent in the NYPD budget.

Mayoral Hopeful Joe Lhota 'Exceeded' Goals in Private Sector

Joe Lhota wants you to know: He's a good manager. Just ask his colleagues in the private sector, and you'll be overwhelmed. In an interview with Crains New York, Mr. Lhota told Andrew Hawkins he plans to put a spotlight on his work at Cablevision, the MTA, and his previous jobs, placing his experience as a crisis manager at the forefront of his campaign.

"If you talked to anyone that I worked for—clients when I was an investment banker, or senior execs at Cablevision and Madison Square Garden—ask them if I was able to achieve goals," he said. "They will say that I not only achieved them, but I exceeded them."

With Size 12 Shoes, John Catsimatidis Wants To be In The Loop

Republican mogul and the viral candidate of the 2013 mayoral race, John Catsimatidis has no fear of fitting in the shoes of any previous mayor, of course if elected. With a size 12 shoe, Catsimatidis believes he can get his way any way, anywhere.

"Listen, when a mayor has size 12 shoes, he could put his foot down," Catsimatidis told Azi Paybarah at a press conference in Queens last week, when asked what a mayor can do about a State agency, like the MTA.

Skeptic Republican Donors Float Super PAC Plan to Bolster Joe Lhota's Campaign

Republican donors are beginning to float the idea of forming a Outside Super PAC to allow Joe Lhota's mayoral campaign overcome the financial might and electability appeal of Jon Catisimatidis within the Republican party, the NY Times reports.

As a latecomer in the race, and a  likely participant in the city’s campaign finance program, which matches private donations with public funds, Lhota's disadvantages created doubts and skepticism even by his own supporters.  “Joe has an uphill battle,” said Mr. Kalikow, a former owner of The New York Post. “I did tell him that.”

Israeli Orthodox Magazine 'Bakhila' Profiles Bill Thompson with Header- "A Shabbos Goy"

Bakhila cover of Thompson profile

"I tell people, look at the current Mayor, that is a Jew, and look at the other hand at Bill - One is Jewish, and one is Black. But in reality, the Jew is not so Jewish, and the black guy is not so black," said one of the Jewish activists, who's supporting Bill Thompson's bid for Mayor of NYC, to the Israeli Orthodox magazine 'Bakhila' in Hebrew.

In an extensive profile of former city comptroller and mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, Bakhila magazine describes Thompson's ties to the Jewish community in Brooklyn and his support for Israel, with the header: 'A Shabbos Goy' (a non-Jew who performs certain types of work for a Jew on the Sabbath).

de Blasio Says He's a 'All People' Progressive Candidate

"You are the most leftist candidate... sorry .. most progressive candidate in this race," radio host, Michael Fragin, described Mayoral candidate Bill de blasio, in a debut 'Meet The Mayoral Candidates' interview on the Spin Class / Jewish Political radio station.

After 2 decades of Republican control, 24 years after the last Democratic mayoral candidate was elected as mayor, De Blasio expressed confidence that a Democrat will become mayor of NYC come January 2014. "2013 is going to be a Democratic year," he said twice.

Catsimatidis, New York's Nixon?

Azi Paybarah, from now on @azi, noticed this great shot of Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis striking a Richard Nixon pose, during a Press conference in Queens today.

Jon Catsimatidis - New York 2013 (photo credit: @deborahyun

Richard Nixon's trademark "victory" sign during successful presidential run - Philadelphia July, 1968 (photo credit: Wikipedia)

Non related: Catsimatidis' daughter, Andrea, is married to Chris Cox, Nixon's grandson.

If Only... Catsimatis Believes He would of Won Over Koch's Heart

Wednesday's New York Post, featured a full-page tribute to the late former Mayor Ed Koch signed by Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis and his wife, Margo. 

“I paid for it personally,” Catisimatids told Politicker.

In a frank conversation with Hunter Walker of The Observer, Catsimatidis acknowledged that he never tried to persuade Mr. Koch to back him, despite of his proud affirmation that he was the closest guy in new York to President Clinton. However, had the mayor lived, Mr. Catsimatidis thinks he might have been able to win him over. “You never know, because me and him did the Congressman Turner campaign together,” said Mr. Catsimatidis noting Turner's across the line endorsement. “Do your homework on that one.”

Bill Thompson Blasts NYCHA's 'Wrongheaded Move" on Back of Low Income Families

Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson blasted the City's Housing agency's plan to lease out unused public space and playgrounds to private developers to build luxury apartments in the middle of Manhattan housing projects. Mr. Thompson called the plan a "wrongheaded move" against the purpose of the NYCHA.