Giuliani Race-Baits For Bloomberg

In a campaign speech for Mayor Bloomberg, yesterday former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani told a group of Orthodox Jews in Borough Park, "I worried daily that the city might be turned back to the way it was before 1993 -- and you know exactly what I'm talking about." Exactly what Giuliani is talking about is former Mayor David Dinkins, who is a black man, as is Bloomberg's opponent Bill Thompson. There have already been calls for Bloomberg to disavow Giuliani's comments.

UPDATE: Giuliani's comments are being criticized by Thompson's campaign.

"This is a tired Republican campaign tactic — scare people into voting by threatening their personal safety,” said Anne Fenton, a spokeswoman for the Thompson campaign. “It didn’t work for Rudy Giuliani during his abysmal presidential bid, and it’s not going to work for Mike Bloomberg this year. Bill Thompson is committed to public safety, not manipulating people and inciting unnecessary public fear.” City Councilman Bill de Blasio of Brooklyn, the Democrat who is likely to become the city’s next public advocate, said he was appalled. “Giuliani’s comments verge on race-baiting,” he said. “Bloomberg should disavow those comments and show that he doesn’t buy into that kind of rhetoric.” When asked later at a green jobs event in Red Hook, Brooklyn, whether he shared Mr. Giuliani’s views, Mr. Bloomberg did not answer directly.