Parade Politics, 2009
Here's a slideshow I put together of some of the politicking at yesterday's West Indian Day parade in Brooklyn.
Roger Toussaint
Paterson Marches With the Anti-Bloombergs
At the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn today, Governor David Paterson tried putting to rest the notion that he’s undecided about who he’s supporting for mayor.
He marched with Democratic candidate Bill Thompson as members of the Transport Workers Union carried signs like that showed a giant Michael Bloomberg terrorizing tiny poor citizens of Read More
TWU Debate
Before we rush headfirst into 2008, there's still at least on more race this year to get through: Transport Workers Union Local 100's presidential election. Chuck Bennett unearthed this a video of the Nov. 16 debate between the union's four presidential candidates. The clip is more than an hour long -- consider yourself warned Read More
The Embrace
In what looks like a conscious echo of Ned Lamont's attention-grabbing literature in Connecticut, here's part of a campaign flyer being handed out by one of the opponents of Transport Workers Union president Roger Toussaint opponents showing him hugging MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow. For more information on the flyer, or the union's election later Read More
Toussaint Gets Company
Chuck Bennett, who is keeping his eye on the TWU election, has some good new for union president Roger Toussaint. There is another candidate in the race to beat him: Ainsley Stewart
"He plans to hammer Toussaint on calling off the strike after 60 hours and, of course, the 1.5% of gross wage health Read More
draft-Campaign Websites: Toussaint 1, Hevesi 0
A reader send along this link to TWU President Roger Toussaint's campaign website - complete with "My mom is no thug," picture and a link to some obscure news about his re-election. Note: Toussaint turns 50 years old in one week. Party! http://www.rogertoussaintvictory2006.com/events.html Speaking of campaign websites, there still is not one Read More
Transit Politics
And now, news from another kind of campaign... A reader familiar with transportation politics adds a little background to that story about Transport Workers Union Local 100 President Roger Toussaint's re-election challenge. Heading the opposition to Toussaint is Barry Roberts, a bus driver aligned with the former TWU president Sonny Hall. Hall Read More
On Message
Here's part of an actual conversation I had this morning with Eliot Spitzer and Roger Toussaint at the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn: Spitzer: I'm standing here next to my friend Roger Toussaint and we're having a great parade and I couldn't be happier. Toussaint: Beautiful ladies. Spitzer: Yeah, as Roger will tell you, Read More
M.T.A. Gets Off Easy In Dispute With Workers
As the labor dispute afflicting the city’s transit system trundles on—yes, the subways and buses are rolling, but the dispute remains unresolved—scapegoats are being sought. There has been a lot of finger-pointing recently. But most of the fingers have been pointed in the wrong direction. To judge from tabloid editorials and the pronouncements of some Read More
M.T.A. Gets Off Easy In Dispute With Workers
As the labor dispute afflicting the city’s transit system trundles on—yes, the subways and buses are rolling, but the dispute remains unresolved—scapegoats are being sought. There has been a lot of finger-pointing recently. But most of the fingers have been pointed in the wrong direction.
To judge from tabloid editorials and the pronouncements of some Read MoreTuesday: Toussaint, Hot 97, and a Soprano
- Having just completed his truncated jail sentence, Roger Toussaint is fired up once again. The Transport Workers Union is suing the MTA for not accepting the contract the two feuding sides worked out after the strike. Well, it should be noted that the TWU had voted against this contract, before voting for it. Peter Read More
Messinger Arrested?
If all goes according to plan, Ruth Messinger will be cuffed and booked in a matter of minutes in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington for protesting genocide in Darfur. Unlike Roger Toussaint's anticlimactic march to the pen, it's hard to find fault today with Messinger, President of the American Jewish World Service, co-founder Read More
Toussaint talks …
Editorials
Mike Wallace: A Class Act When CBS debuted Sixty Minutes on Sept. 24, 1968, one of the co-hosts was Mike Wallace. Last week, he announced that he would retire from the show this spring, in deference to his 88 years and a remarkable career that shows no signs of flagging. Broadcast journalism is literally impossible Read More
Editorials
Mike Wallace: A Class Act
When CBS debuted Sixty Minutes on Sept. 24, 1968, one of the co-hosts was Mike Wallace. Last week, he announced that he would retire from the show this spring, in deference to his 88 years and a remarkable career that shows no signs of flagging. Broadcast journalism is literally impossible Read More