Still, it is hard to find anyone in the political class who genuinely believes that John Liu will be a viable contender in 2013. News of the investigation into his campaign finance practices was an A1 story in The Times and the Daily News and the Post have kept up a steady drumbeat of pressure since.  He may even struggle to hold on to his current job.

Thus, it is more than a little interesting that Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer's first public event in the new year is an event that, according to his press office "HAILS GROWTH IN ASIAN AMERICAN REPRESENTATION ON MANHATTAN COMMUNITY BOARDS, ENCOURAGES MORE ASIAN AMERICANS TO APPLY."

BP's have a fairly limited portfolios, but they are still tasked with staffing half of every community board, and Mr. Stringer has focused his office especially on this part of the BP's duties. So, now that he has taken ownership of the community boards, he is touting that he used that help bring more Asian-Americans into the civic life of the borough.

The city's Asian population has spiked by 32 percent to over a million over the last ten years. Asians have typically lagged behind in registration, but were expected to turn out big for Mr. Liu.  And that vote, it now would appear, is up for grabs.