EGO OUT OF CONTROL – AT 10:56 A.M. ET:  There are a lot of problems in New York City.  And, at a time of racial tension, you'd think the mayor, who's made race a big deal, would be at home.  But Bill de Blasio has bigger plans.  From Bloomberg:   

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio attracted the biggest crowd to Wisconsin Democrats’ annual dinner on Saturday since Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama attended seven years ago. The foray to the home state of expected Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker shows de Blasio’s determination to affect the 2016 election.

“I’m certainly going to be doing this with some regularity,” de Blasio said after getting a standing ovation for his speech in Milwaukee.

The 53-year-old mayor has in recent weeks ventured from the most populous U.S. city into the Midwest to inveigh against tax breaks for corporations, attacks on unions and income inequality. He has withheld a quick endorsement of Democratic candidate Clinton, emphasizing his power as leader of a city of 8.4 million and ensuring that his intentions remain a topic of speculation and conversation.

“I’m certainly going to be doing this with some regularity.”

De Blasio’s rise as the first Democratic New York mayor in 20 years and appeal to progressives can influence his party’s broad agenda while also being a thorn in the side of Republican candidates, said Mike Tate, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

“Outside of anyone named Obama or Clinton, I think Bill de Blasio and Elizabeth Warren are the two biggest draws in the Democratic Party,” said Tate, referring to the Massachusetts senator who also champions progressive issues. “People are really looking at what he did and what he is saying as a real path forward.”

COMMENT:  The only serious change we've noticed in New York since Bill became mayor is an increase in murder.  Maybe that plays well with the "progressive" crowd, but it isn't playing well with the street folk.  I haven't seen any recent polls, but polls earlier this year showed de Blasio's approval at just above 50%, in an overwhelmingly Democratic city.  De Blasio has never had overwhelming popularity.  He was elected in 2013, almost by default.  The Republicans, reflecting the weakness of the New York Republican Party, barely ran a race.

He has national ambitions.  He might do the job here first, although Obama proved that a record in the Democratic Party is meaningless.

April 29, 2015