Kelly 'Deeply Flattered' By Mayoral Speculation

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly was a guest on last night's Nachum Segal Show, which was hosted by Zalman "ZK" Koppel and Councilman Simcha Felder, who is also running for State Senate. When Felder brought up the recent Quinnipiac poll that showed Kelly was the most popular candidate for mayor (that is, aside from term-limited Michael Bloomberg), Kelly called the result "flattering," but said he was too focused on his job to think about a run for office.

Felder also brought some of his staff, who he said had all acquired a taste for Jewish music, along to the show. Less than a year after being hired by Felder, press guy Eric Kuo called Lipa Schmeltzer's "Hallel" one of his favorites, and lamented not being able to find the albums in stores.

More of Kelly's remarks below:

"It's flattering. This is an all-consuming job – the one that I have now. It is a 24-hour-a-day job, the phone rings a lot, seven days a week.

"So I'm really focused on this job and that's really where all my energies are.

"It's nice to be talked about, but it's a whole other world – a world I've never been involved in. It would take tremendous consideration and support on the part of my family, and there are lots of other ramifications, but I am deeply flattered by anybody talking about me going onto higher office. It's hard for me to imagine. I'm the kid from the West Side, and somebody who spent virtually all my adult life in the police department."