Howard Wolfson | The New York Observer

Wolfson and Garin

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:05:47 -0400

When Mark Penn was dislodged from Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, the two people who stepped up to try righting the ship were Howard Wolfson and Geoffrey Garin.

Now, they’re working for rival candidates in the mayoral race.

After Garin released internal poll numbers yesterday showing Bill Thompson is closing the gap, Wolfson, in defense of his candidate, Michael Bloomberg, trashed Garin’s work.

In a public statement today, Wolfson said, “Bill Thompson’s poll gives new meaning to the...

Bloomberg Offers No Defense of Giuliani Comments

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:09:50 -0400

For the second-straight day, Michael Bloomberg declined to disavow what critics say were racially coded comments made by Rudy Giuliani, who warned an audience of Jews in Brooklyn that crime could rise if the mayor wasn’t re-elected.

While at the ferry terminal in Lower Manhattan to receive the endorsement of Democratic Representative Mike McMahon, Bloomberg was asked if critics had “misinterpreted what he was saying.”

“I don’t know,” said Bloomberg. “I’ve got to work on trying...

The Swift, Brutal Primary Strategy of Kirsten Gillibrand

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0400

Earlier this month, Kirsten Gillibrand stood in front of the steps of City Hall to accept the endorsements of two more members of Congress and repeated her standard response to all inquiries related to her facing a potential primary challenge. "For my part, I am very focused on being the best senator I can be," Gillibrand told The Observer. "And I really do leave the politics to themselves. I think they will take care of...

Welcome to Camp Bloomberg

Tue, 19 May 2009 19:52:00 -0400

Hank Sheinkopf was working for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s reelection from the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. “I’m in Florida for the weekend,” said Mr. Sheinkopf, one of a number of prominent Democratic consultants now working for the mayor, in a recent phone interview. He was there for a speaking engagement. “I’m not taking a vacation,” he said. “Until the summer. When my kids go to camp.” It must be sorely tempting...

How Wolfson Used to Explain Bloomberg's Spending

Mon, 18 May 2009 10:47:00 -0400

Michael Bloomberg’s critics are hoping to make an issue out of his record campaign spending—now at $18.67 million. Among those used to be Howard Wolfson, who, as a reader reminds me, co-wrote an op-ed in the New York Times in 2005, saying the mayor’s campaign spending “was critical to his victory” and that it “distorts the terms of the debate.” I emailed Wolfson, now a Bloomberg campaign spokesman, to ask if the criticism he had...

Bloomberg Spends Lavishly, Thompson Campaign Disapproves

Fri, 15 May 2009 16:09:00 -0400

Bill Thompson is trying to use Michael Bloomberg’s big check book against him. In this filing period, Bloomberg has spent $15,636,3861.51, according to his campaign. That's on top of the more than $3 million he spent in the last filing period. In response to those figures, Thompson spokeswoman Anne Fenton emailed to say, “Mike Bloomberg is spending almost 19 million dollars to try to convince New Yorkers that they need 4 more years of higher taxes,...

Bloomberg Less Bothered Than His Campaign Is About Thompson Ad

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:01:00 -0400

"I have a good relationship with Bill Thompson," Michael Bloomberg said this morning at a press conference in the Bronx when I asked him about being the subject of what his campaign spokesman said was the first negative ad of the mayor's race. "We work together to help the city. We've done that for the last seven-and-a-half years and he, I'm sure, will not let politics get in the way, nor would we. And I...

Bloomberg Aide Declares Thompson the First 'Negative' Campaigner

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:40:00 -0400

Michael Bloomberg’s campaign—which was reported last week to have tested negative messages against Anthony Weiner last week—is responding to a web video from Bill Thompson, declaring him the first candidate to go negative in the mayor's race. The Thompson video went up on his campaign's YouTube channel on February 10, but only seems to have come to the Bloomberg campaign's notice after we posted it this morning. The video features random New Yorkers, some of whom...

Wolfson on the Bloomberg Paradox

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:21:00 -0400

This weekend, Michael Bloomberg locked up the support of a majority of city Republican county leaders, even as he’s reaching out to leaders of the Working Families Party, the group that has fought bitterly to defeat Republicans. I asked Bloomberg campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson if there was the possibility of Bloomberg somehow appearing to be pursuing contradictory agendas by reaching out to leaders of two such ideologically incompatible entities. “The mayor has a very unique profile...

New York Pols Who Make Tweets

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:24:00 -0400

I never thought cutting my hair was a sign of the implosion of the American economy, until I read about it on Twitter. “benpolitico: times tough: @azipaybarah cutting own hair.” The item is short, true, and was written a few seconds after the words left my mouth. I was sitting at my desk in City Hall making some idle conversation with a source when part of the talk went online. Not that it was all that surprising....

BerlinRosen Wins the Blake Zeff Primary

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:31:00 -0400

Blake Zeff, who worked under Howard Wolfson on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and, before that, at the New York State Democratic Party, has been hired by the consulting firm BerlinRosen. The hiring was announced in an email to clients that was also forwarded to a few reporters. Zeff is a talented guy and since the end of the presidential campaign, I - and many others - have been quietly wondering where he would land. BerlinRosen's clients include...

$2,920,977

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:03:00 -0400

So far, Michael Bloomberg has spent $2,920,977.34 on his re-election campaign, according to campaign finance numbers provided by his campaign in advance of Monday’s disclosure deadline. I’m combing through the numbers now, which campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson cautioned me could change by Monday’s deadline. So, as of now, here’s a few highlights: Among the expenses were four payments totaling more than $365,000 on “voter development” by the Washington-based Strategic Telemetry Inc. He’s spent $50,000 on print ads...

Weiner Doesn't Quite Drop Out; Rivals Mock Him Anyway

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:22:00 -0400

When Michael Bloomberg sought to change the city’s term limits and run for re-election, he chalked it up to the city’s unprecedented fiscal crisis. Today, one of his potential Democratic challengers, Representative Anthony Weiner, used the same reason—the fiscal crisis—to explain why he's not committing to the race. In a statement to supporters, Weiner wrote: "At the beginning of the summer when Congress takes a break, I will look at the lay of the land again...

Bloomberg Will Show at Manhattan G.O.P. Candidate Screening

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:46:00 -0400

After yesterday's "no comment," today Michael Bloomberg's campaign spokesman said he is anticipating attending the May 6 Manhattan Republican County Committee meeting, where the 50 members will screen candidates and vote on endorsements for the elections later this year. In an email to me just now, spokesman Howard Wolfson said they "certainly" plan on attending. Yesterday, the county G.O.P. chair, Jennifer Saul, said all mayoral candidates seeking endorsement would need to attend the...

Will Bloomberg Meet the Manhattan Republicans?

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:45:00 -0400

A spokesman for Michael Bloomberg declined to say whether the mayor is planning to attend the mayoral candidate screening of the Manhattan County Republican Committee, which could impact whether the fifth and deciding county chairman votes to allow the mayor into their primary. When asked if Bloomberg will attend the May 6 screening, Bloomberg spokesman Howard Wolfson emailed to say, "No comment." A Manhattan County official said they have not received word yet whether Bloomberg will...

Bloomberg on His Supportiveness of John McCain

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:58:00 -0500

Republican County chairmen who met with Michael Bloomberg last week walked away thinking the mayor had been supportive of John McCain's presidential campaign. Bloomberg campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson later clarified: "He has supported John McCain. That's a little different than him saying he supported him for president." One day after the February 25 meeting, Bloomberg denied telling the chairmen he voted for McCain, but praised the Republican presidential...

What Is Michael Bloomberg?

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:20:00 -0500

After Michael Bloomberg's meeting today with Republican leaders, Adam Lisberg of the Daily News asked the mayor's spokesman if the mayor "is still a liberal, and if not, when did that change." Howard Wolfson, the spokesman, smiled and laughed. Lisberg persisted. "It’s a serious question," he said. "Well, look," said Wolfson. "I think people can judge for themselves what the mayor’s ideology...