Bill Thompson and Anthony Weiner chatting at the forum.

At a Democratic mayoral forum this morning focusing on New York City's transportation policies, the candidates often agreed on many of the issues--stated support for bike lanes, for example--but starkly disagreed when it came to several topics, including school bus contracts.

Setting up the dispute, former Comptroller Bill Thompson, the leading candidate for the teachers' union endorsement set to be announced later this afternoon, defended pricey school bus driver contracts and provisions that protect current employees.

"It wasn't the cost of labor that drove the cost up. It was bad routing and the cost of maintenance. That's what drove the cost up of those contracts. I saw [Employee Protection Provisions] as a way to maintain an experienced, safe workforce and I still believe that," Mr. Thompson said.

But former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who is often spotted chatting with Mr. Thompson at forums, took a widely different stance, alleging that high drivers' salaries were leading to exorbitant overall costs for the city to transport students.

"The routes are inefficient. We tried to fix them last time. We left people standing in the snow and completely messed it up. I also think it's a false choice to say, 'You have to pay a billion dollars a year to transport students safely," Mr. Weiner argued. "I hope that the conversation moves off of this notion [of], 'Are you for the union? Are you not? For EPP or not?'"

The candidates also talked more broadly about the potential expansion of public transportation and the feasibility of extending the subway system.

Comptroller John Liu advocated for better bus service between Manhattan and Staten Island and supported the notion of expanding the subway system, but said it likely wasn't a practical option.

"I don't believe we'll have enough money out there to expand the subway system in the boroughs outside of Manhattan," Mr. Liu said.

This prompted Mr. Thompson to propose a two-pronged approach to generate revenue, including the restoration of a commuter tax and a registration fee increase for cars that would boost prices based on weight. Former Councilman Sal Albanese quickly shot down Mr. Thompson's tax proposal, however.

"The commuter tax idea is pie in the sky. Never going to happen," Mr. Albanese insisted.

(In a subsequent mayoral forum for the Republican candidates, Republican businessman John Catsimatidis suggested an alternative means of public transportation, saying he wanted to create a monorail, which he referred to as "an above-way.")

In one of the other prominent disputes today, Mr. Weiner further took aim at the city boards and authorities that oversee the MTA and other public utilities.

"Bill Thompson served on the Battery Park authority. What the heck is that?" the former congressman mused.

After the forum he made it expressly clear that, if elected, he would dismantle some of these authorities in order to expedite governmental action.

Anthony Weiner and Sal Albanese at a Staten Island mayoral forum.

Anthony Weiner took a beating on his first official stop in Staten Island Monday night.

Mr. Weiner was repeatedly hit by his rivals, including Green Party candidate Tony Gronowicz and former Councilman Sal Albanese, for an old racially-charged campaign flier, his congressional vote authorizing the Iraq War, and his allegedly "coarse" conduct during a candidates' forum hosted by the Pleasant Plains, Prince’s Bay and Richmond Valley Civic Association.

"I'm going to point out something that has nothing to do with your anatomy, I'm going to point out something that has to do with your record," an agitated Mr. Gronowicz said, knocking Mr. Weiner for mailers he sent out during his first City Council run that played on the tensions between the black and Jewish communities of Brooklyn at the time. "Back in 1991, he was a long-shot candidate in a Jewish district in Brooklyn and he ran a race-baiting campaign that the Times attacked because he won."

Mr. Gronowicz had become irritated when he spotted City Comptroller John Liu and Mr. Weiner bantering with each other while he was addressing the audience. After Mr. Liu had said--with a grin--that he did not vote in favor of a term limits extension as Mr. Gronowicz discussed the topic, Mr. Weiner quipped that "no Green Party" Council member had voted that way. The Green Party obviously has no members in the City Council.

"His recent behavior is also very coarse. I would not have said anything but he dared to interrupt me," Mr. Gronowicz said.

The conversation got so heated that public advocate candidate Letitia James had to interject.

"Mr. Weiner didn't interrupt you, he was just talking to the comptroller of the City of New York," Ms. James said. "It was not his intent."

Mr. Albanese, another candidate with an uphill battle to City Hall and no stranger to tweaking Mr. Weiner, would soon jump in with his own line of attack--twice mentioning a vote Mr. Weiner took in favor of the Iraq War.

"Anthony voted for the invasion of Iraq, which cost us a billion dollars," said Mr. Albanese. “We have this problem in urban centers across America, we can't fund our transit system. Let's take care of America, let's not get involved in unnecessary skirmishes."

Mr. Weiner parried the charge with another wise-crack.

"Notwithstanding the critique, I won't rule out as mayor invading Yonkers. I want you to know I keep that possibility at my disposal," he joked.

After the forum, Mr. Weiner, when pressed by Politicker, stuck to his laugh line.

"Apparently there's some concern about my record, that I'd be too quick to invade Yonkers or Jersey City," he said. "People have no reason to be concerned, unless they're aggressive, then I reserve the right."

He also repeated that he'd already apologized to Ms. Cohen for his conduct during the 1991 race.

"I said at the time, immediately that week, I jotted a note to Adele," he said.

Anthony Weiner. (Photo: Getty)

Anthony Weiner's Democratic rivals in the mayor's race have generally done their best to avoid talking about the sexting scandal that led to his downfall two years ago. Former Councilman Sal Albanese, however, has been the exception, and he directly confronted Mr. Weiner at a Queens breakfast forum earlier today.

"Before I get into that," Mr. Albanese said in response to an unrelated question about  funding local cultural institutions, "I just want to say that listening to Mr. Weiner is interesting because he's very glib and articulate. But ... he's betrayed the public trust on several occasions and I think that disqualifies him."

Several audience members audibly voiced disapproval, saying in unison, "Ohhhhhh."

But Mr. Weiner ignored the jab. And, asked about Mr. Albanese's remark after the debate, he further dodged the question.

"Look, this campaign is going to be about the ideas of the middle class and those struggling to make it," he replied, pivoting to tout his understanding of what small businesses are looking for from City Hall.

Indeed, throughout the discussion sponsored by the Queens Courier and NY1, Mr. Weiner focused on what little substance could be squeezed into a forum with ten different candidates. Unlike an event last night, the former congressman offered no apologies for the scandal, but--as Mr. Albanese suggested--Mr. Weiner was rather glib in his answers.

Comparing himself to billionaire Republican candidate John Catsimatidis, he quipped he was speaking as a "thousandaire," for example, and he earned a New York Post headline by taking a crack at his beloved Mets.

“I would love to have major league soccer here in Queens," Mr. Weiner said about a proposal to build a soccer stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. "Heck, I’d love to have major league baseball here in Queens first."

Anthony Weiner speaks at the first debate of his mayoral campaign.

During the first debate of Anthony Weiner’s once-improbable mayoral campaign, the former congressman openly wondered whether he had been sucked "into some kind of vortex" as he was asked to pelt questions against the absent front-runner candidate, Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

“So this is a question to Chris Quinn that I got the first shot at answering?” Mr. Weiner said to the moderator at an education debate this afternoon. “I feel like on the first day of the campaign, I’ve been sucked into some kind of vortex.”

Mr. Weiner seemed aware that every time he spoke and presented one of his relatively snarky answers, a horde of cameramen on the 10th floor of NYU's Kimmel Center would be snapping away, documenting every movement he made. Mr. Weiner, whose political career collapsed after a Twitter scandal two years ago, seemed to both revel and chafe in this role, standing to answer questions while his Democratic rivals sat and wise-cracking with the moderator as the crowd giggled along. (When questions didn't seem to suit him, he would rest a hand on his cheek or toy with a pen in front of him.)

At one moment in the debate, he openly resented a time limit that had kept him from bellowing out a three-point educational policy platform--reluctantly sitting down only after the moderator insisted he was out of time. Later in the debate, he ensured, after the bell had rung, that his other two points were heard.

"I said the three things you want to do in an open school ... There should be gifted and talented programs where they have space," he explained, speaking rapidly. "The second thing is they should have resources that most schools don't really have ... The third thing, we should let the charters come in and compete with the two others ideas, but I want them to compete on level footing."

Tacking to the right of his rivals, Mr. Weiner focused on his own centrist education policy that included merit pay for teachers and a sarcastic refusal to skewer charter school advocate Eva Moskowitz, once a member of the City Council and now a teachers union nemesis, in front of the anti-Bloomberg New Yorkers for Great Public Schools audience.

"I have no bloody idea," he answered a question about whether Ms. Moskowitz received "unfair special treatment" from the Bloomberg administration. "Sure, yes seems to be the answer of the day."

Mr. Weiner, not quite as fiery as he was in his congressional days, refused to criticize his opponents. However, he attacked Albany for how it chooses to fund city public schools. Staying in character, he even seemed to refer to an alleged joke Gov. Andrew Cuomo made about his candidacy while doing so.

"I may have to fight with Governor Cuomo on some things--honestly, he started it," Mr. Weiner said, again drawing laughter from the crowd. "My view is that every single day we should be chafing at the yoke of Albany control on everything. We're going to have a conversation here on charters--Albany is in charge. We have a conversation for the formula of how we're going to change the way school teachers are fired or laid off in times of crisis--Albany is in charge ... Every July 4th, we should have a declaration of independence from Albany."

There was little jousting among the five Democrats, which did not include Ms. Quinn because she skipped the debate, though long-shot Democrat Sal Albanese jabbed the hardest at "Tony Weiner" after he denounced Albany.

"First of all, it's great to see my old colleague Tony Weiner back in action and I notice his aggressive posturing, he's been in office forever but now he's taking on Albany which is great. Welcome to the fight," Mr. Albanese said sarcastically.

"Thank you?" Mr. Weiner retorted mockingly, drawing further laughs from the crowd.

But not everyone in the audience, many of them educators, were enthralled or amused by Mr. Weiner. The response seemed more hostile than Mr. Weiner has experienced so far during his short time on the campaign trail

"He did not take this seriously," Linda Patterson, a retired principal, said after the debate. "I did not want to hear his jokes ... I want a straight response, an adult response. I didn't appreciate his adolescent demeanor."

Additional reporting by Jill Colvin

The rain interfered with Anthony Weiner's plans to bike to his first debate.

The miserable weather not only made for a dreary afternoon, it also rained out Anthony Weiner's plans to ride one of the city's new bike share bikes to his his first debate appearance, which is currently happening at NYU.

“It’s perfect, if you’re a duck," the ex-congressman told Politicker as he pulled out an umbrella and headed toward the subway instead of hopping on one of the bulky blue bikes, which hit the streets on Memorial Day.

Mr. Weiner had tweeted about his plans earlier Tuesday. "Gonna take @CitibikeNYC to my first debate today. @howiewolf impressed?" he wrote, reaching out to Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson, one of the city's most dedicated cyclists, asking for a helmet to borrow.

"You can borrow mine!" Mr. Wolfson tweeted back.

Unfortunately, by early afternoon, it was raining cats and dogs.

"Too wet for me to @CitibikeNYC to the debate. #JustLostNYCRainBikersAssociation," he tweeted before leaving his house.

Mr. Weiner--who famously told Mayor Bloomberg back in 2010 that one of his first acts as mayor would be having "a bunch of ribbon-cuttings tearing out your fucking bike lanes"--said he actually owns his own bike, but signed up for the controversial bike share program anyway.

"It's been in storage for some time. I’m not much of a biker," he admitted. "I had to go get my helmet out of storage, too." But, he said he was ready to give the new bikes a spin.

"I was pretty fired up. I’m disappointed, 'cause I would have loved to see you–or these guys—biking backward taking a picture,” he joked, referring to the small group of photographers who'd been staking out his apartment just in case he decided to check out one of the bikes, a row of which sit--conveniently enough--right across from his fancy new Park Avenue South apartment.

For what it's worth, Mr. Wolfson told Politicker that he got lunch on a Citi Bike despite the weather.

Christine Quinn (Photo: YouTube)

Organizers of a mayoral forum on education issues scheduled for tomorrow afternoon are fuming after City Council Speaker Christine Quinn pulled out at the last minute--allegedly, they charge, because she was worried she'd be subjected to attacks.

The debate, set up by the anti-Bloomberg group New Yorkers for Great Public Schools, which has been pushing for major changes in education policy in the next administration, is set to take place Tuesday afternoon at NYU.

"Update: Christine Quinn Drops Out; Her Campaign Says it Does Not Want to do a Debate on Education," the group said in a press release sent to reporters Monday.

Billy Easton, a spokesman for the group, said they had gone out of their way to accommodate Ms. Quinn, rescheduling the event twice and ultimately holding it on a date that her staff had selected. But he said that, after hearing the final details of the format, her team informed them she would no longer be attending on Friday at 6 p.m.

"It's unfortunate that Chris Quinn decided to back out of this important education debate at the last minute after agreeing to participate weeks ago," Mr. Easton said in a statement. "Her campaign told us over Memorial Day weekend it doesn't want to do a debate, yet Quinn herself has repeatedly said in public she will put her record up against anyone else's in the mayoral race. Quinn is running away from an opportunity to defend her record on education. It's a big mistake."

The candidates have been attending forums and debates non-stop over recent months, with two or three events sometimes scheduled on a single night. But Tuesday's event, at the NYU Kimmel Center, was expected to be particularly charged, with a bent against Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Another group, the pro-Bloomberg StudentsFirstNY, is planning its own, competing rally at NYU, where parents will urge the candidates "not to turn back the clock on education reform."

All of the other major Democratic candidates, including Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, former Comptroller Bill Thompson and current Comptroller John Liu, are scheduled to attend the event. According to an NY GPS source, former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who has dominated media coverage of the mayoral race since he announced his bid last week, today confirmed he would attend as well.

The debate, which will be moderated by outspoken Bloomberg critic Zakiyah Ansari, is being trumpeted as a highly charged event that will feature "an opening crossfire round, a lightning round," and frequent opportunities for engagement. "In Speaker Quinn's absence, other candidates will still be afforded the opportunity to rebut her public positions on key questions," they warned.

While she has been critical of some of Mr. Bloomberg's policies, including the tensions that often exist between traditional public schools and charter schools that share the same buildings, Ms. Quinn's proposals are generally closer in line with the current administration's than her Democratic rivals.

Update (5:55 p.m.): Quinn campaign spokesman Mike Morey rejected organizers' debate-ducking argument.

"The organizers were informed last week we would not be able to make this one work," Mr. Morey said in a statement. "We have never said to them or anyone else we would not debate education issues, in fact we've participated in two education debates this month alone, on top of a total of 44 debates and forums during the course of the campaign."

Update (6:45 p.m.): Updated with Mr. Weiner's attendance. Additional reporting by Colin Campbell.

Anthony Weiner speaks at his first forum appearance Thursday night. (Photo: Jill Colvin)

After a frenzied meet-and-greet with commuters in Harlem, ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner made his first appearance--that we know about--at a mayoral forum last night in the Riverdale section of The Bronx, where he tried to make a case to voters about why they should consider electing him again.

"For me, it's good to be anywhere," Mr. Weiner told members of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club--one of the few clubs he said endorsed him back in 2005--a day after formally jumping into the race with a video posted on his campaign website.

But, as with the earlier event, Mr. Weiner brought with him a media entourage that had some club members fuming. As he entered the room, a crush of photographers and cameramen rushed to surround him, creating such a disruption that the moderator tried to intervene.

"We want to give equal attention to everyone in the room," she urged the group. After he sat down, club members moved in, trying to build what they described as a "human wall" to block cameras from getting a shot and to pay attention to the other candidates, who largely ignored Mr. Weiner's presence aside from a couple of jokes about the number of reporters suddenly taking interest in Bronx politics.

When it was his turn to speak, Mr. Weiner delivered much the same message as he had in his campaign video. He repeating his concerns about the growing stresses on the middle class, and criticized his fellow Democrats for spending too much time talking about how they differed from their opponents instead of focusing on ideas. He also addressed that other issue: the lewd tweeting scandal that forced him to resign from congress two years ago.

"I'm sorry," he told the audience. "You put a great deal of hope and confidence in me and I did some very embarrassing things. And I regret them. And I've worked very hard over the past couple of years to make it up to my wife, to help raise my son as best I can, but I want to look forward."

Mr. Weiner, like the other candidates, took questions from the audience. The newly-minted candidate was asked about his legislative record, the viability of the single-player healthcare system he wants to implement, and state of the city's subways. (He proposed expanded ferry service as an alternative--including new service out to the airports--and argued ferries would have been much cheaper and faster than building the Second Avenue Subway.) Overall, the reception was warm--with some laughs and applause.

But later, audience members told Politicker that, while they were largely impressed by Mr. Weiner's performance, they couldn't stop thinking about the elephant in the room.

"I was very impressed with him, but I kept thinking about his behavior," said Hilda, a senior who lives in the neighborhood, referring to the pictures she saw splashed across the papers. "His behavior is very hard to understand," she said. "I think you have to have a lot of gall to put yourself before people like this" after that.

Eleanor Oliff, a member of the club's executive board, said the appearance had done nothing to sway her in his direction.

"I don't think Weiner has a chance," she said, expressing her preference for another mayoral hopeful, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

"He seemed energetic, but he still need to talk about specifics," said another member, echoing the sentiment. "I think the indiscretion is still on my mind."

Mayoral candidates clash at an animal rights forum yesterday.

The candidates for mayor of New York City made their pitch to animal lovers yesterday, and needless to say, they repeatedly professed their love for various species that don't have a vote.

Republican John Catsimatidis--who likes to call himself "the cat man"--once begged the fire department to rescue his daughter's cockatiel, for example. Bill Thompson claimed that he had not one, but two rescued cats. And Sal Albanese insisted his mother-in-law lived a few years longer because of a chihuahua named Joey.

But, beyond highlighting animal rights issues, the Manhattan forum also served as yet another arena for rivals of the absent front-runner, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, to attack her and attempt to whittle away at her lead in the polls.

"Yes, the third term was wrong and undemocratic and we have the third term because of Christine Quinn. I don't think she's listening on this issue," Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said at one point, again blasting Ms. Quinn for extending term limits in 2008. "I think people have tried to say there are real alternatives available and she simply is not willing to entertain them."

The forum, which was hosted by the animal rights and anti-Quinn group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) and moderated by former Republican mayoral candidate Tom Allon, also pitted candidates against each other and one candidate against the frenzied, animal-adoring audience. Notably, despite describing the elaborate rescue of his daughter's cockatiel and his wife's failed attempt to give their dying cat mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Mr. Catsimatidis clashed with the crowd when he reiterated his support of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park. Animal rights advocates argue the horses face harsh conditions in the city and want them replaced with antique cars.

"I believe the horses provide a king of ambiance--" Mr. Catsimatidis began before he was interrupted by boos. "Let me finish, please," he begged as the booing and hissing died down.

"And the city should provide farm space in Central Park to keep all the horses together and make sure they're safe, they're not on the streets, make sure they're given proper care and make sure they're not too old to work ... If those horses are ready to retire, you know what I would do? Build a small stable and have them as part of the zoo--" he continued, causing the crowd to again roar with disapproval, drowning out the candidates.

The Gracie Mansion hopefuls also found time to bash one another. When Mr. Allon asked the candidates why they thought Ms. Quinn backed horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, Mr. Liu took aim at Mr. de Blasio.

"I do want to just ask my friend Bill here a quick question, that bill that I conceded to voting for, how did you vote on that?" Mr. Liu asked, referring to a legislation that strengthened regulations of horse-drawn carriages but did not outright ban them. The bill, which they each supported, was first introduced when both men served in the City Council.

"John, the notion of having better conditions does not conflict with the notion that some of us came to--the conclusion that the whole thing was bankrupt and had to be ended," Mr. de Blasio shot back, receiving enthusiastic applause.

"So you voted no on that bill?" Mr. Liu asked.

"John, I admire your debate technique," came the reply. "But I've been fighting to end horse carriages the last two years and I haven't seen you out there with us, so that's the bottom line here."

While Mr. de Blasio was repeatedly cheered, Ms. Quinn remained in the proverbial doghouse. Before the forum began, a lead NYCLASS organizer asked the crowd to dial Ms. Quinn's office to demand that she support legislation banning horse-drawn carriages in the city. Audience members dutifully whipped out their cell phones when the number was flashed onstage.

"Alright, I guess we jammed the phone line," the organizer, Allie Feldman said as she smiled.

Bill deTerminator (Image Composite: Wikimedia/Getty)

A mayoral election season that has been dominated by one hum-drum debate after the next got a rare moment of levity Friday when former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made an unannounced appearance, courtesy of Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.

Mr. de Blasio was making the point that New York City would soon eclipse Silicon Valley as the nation's tech capital, so he channeled the none other than star of Kindergarten Cop.

“If Arnold Schwarzenegger were here, he would say this: No-thern Ca-lee-for-nia, your domination of the tech industry is being Terminated,” said Mr. de Blasio in his best (though lacking) Schwarzenegger accent.

The gag drew laughs from the audience gathered at the New York Law School to hear the candidates talk about tech—but his electoral rivals were less than impressed.

“That was a bad imitation Bill,” said former Comptroller Bill Thompson, judging the effort wanting.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn also put her foot down.

“I’m terminating all accents that are not actually yours, moving forward at all debates!" she declared, laughing. "There’s a new City Council rule on that."

Mr. de Blasio, undaunted, said he knew his accent would be a hit.

“An Arnold Schwarzenegger reference always works," he said. "I just want to say on it on the record."

The debate in question focused on the candidates’ visions on technology in the city, with inquiries on whether tablets should be used in schools and wireless accessibility.

No word yet on whether de Blasio's Terminator will be back.

Update (4:06 p.m.): Here's the video, via Capital New York.

John Catsimatidis, Joe Lhota and George McDonald. (Photo: Jill Colvin)

The three leading Republican candidates for mayor all support the use of controversial unmanned drones to watch over New York City--as long as cameras aren't peering into their bedrooms.

"I'm absolutely for it," said former MTA Chair Joe Lhota, speaking at a candidates' forum hosted by the New York Young Republican Club in Midtown Tuesday night. "Drones to be used from a surveillance point of view, so long as it understands people's privacy rights."

He pointed to the Boston Marathon bombings and said that drones could have been used just like helicopters to find suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was discovered hiding inside a boat, obscured by its cover.

"They're not to be used in a military fashion, in the way we use them in the Middle East," he said. "But from collecting intelligence, from following what's going on, a drone is no different than having a camera on the street corner watching what you're doing in a public place. And we now know how important cameras are to how quickly law enforcement was able to get to people in Boston."

Supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis also endorsed the technology and vowed to do anything in his power to keep the city safe.

"I think we have to use 21st Century technology like we talked about to help keep New Yorkers safe, and I'm fully committed to anything that exists to keep New Yorkers safe," he said. "I will press that button and make sure it happens."

Doe Fund Founder George McDonald agreed that more surveillance was inevitable, saying that "Cameras are going to be a part of our life, whether we like it or not."

But he stressed that there needs to be a balance when it comes to privacy.

"Obviously I don't want a drone lookin' in my bedroom," he said. "And I think that all of us have to stay vigilant about the line where our individual freedoms and our collective responsibilities begin."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said that he, too, had concerns about the technology, but thought the reality of drones hovering over the city's skyline was inevitable.