Mike's Tough Crowd

Mike had his work cut out for him in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria this afternoon, where he received an award from the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation. He took the stage, and the podium, only minutes after Bill Clinton, also an award recipient, gave an effective speech on terrorism ("Our Society will not be destroyed by it and freedom will not be destroyed by it") that resulted in a standing ovation. "It is always hard to follow Bill Clinton to the podium," said the Mayor, before monotonously detailing the city's progress in fighting crime. He received polite applause, but not everyone was so pleased with his appearance. One table of cops had even booed as he took the stage. "He is disrespecting the rank and file of the NYPD," explained one unhappy member of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, who argued that the Mayor had given cops a raw deal when it came to their contracts. "He's up there pontificating about the drop in crime, but the rank and file are fed up. He's completely unreceptive. Some of the new kids on the force are eligible for food stamps."