Michael Mulgrew. (Photo: Amanda Cohen)

The battle between Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the powerful teachers' union entered a ghoulish new phase on Monday, as the mayor equated the union's coveted endorsement to the "kiss of death," and the union slammed a nod from Mr. Bloomberg as worse than a zombie attack.

The Democratic candidates for mayor have been courting the United Federation of Teachers and the union's president, Michael Mulgrew, for months, but Mr. Bloomberg said this afternoon he thinks they're making a grave electoral mistake.

"It's almost a kiss of death," the mayor said of the union's coveted endorsement, which Mr. Mulgrew believes will be decisive in the race. “I don't know what goes through voters' minds, but maybe they understand if the UFT wants it, it ain't good and you don't want that person."

Mr. Bloomberg, who has clashed extensively with the teachers' union in recent years, including over a recent teacher evaluations deal, argued that the last time a UFT endorsement helped a candidate win was two decades ago back when David Dinkins was elected into office.

"I don't know that you have to worry about that," Mr. Bloomberg said of the possibility of UFT delivering City Hall to their preferred candidate, as Mr. Mulgrew has boasted the union can do.

Without referring to particular candidates, the mayor, speaking at a Monday afternoon press conference touting the city's graduation rates, also said the next administration should follow in the footsteps of his education policies.

“We’d become the laughing stock of the country if we had to roll back everything that has worked so well,” he lamented.

But Mr. Mulgrew shot back at the mayor--arguing that Mr. Bloomberg's endorsement is, in fact, the toxic one.

"Dozens of candidates in local and citywide elections have won with UFT backing in recent years, and many are seeking it this year, while running away from Bloomberg and his record," he said in a statement. "Right now most candidates would rather be the victim of zombie attack than get a Michael Bloomberg endorsement."

The UFT is set to make its highly-anticipated endorsement on Wednesday, with former Comptroller Bill Thompson and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio seen as the leading candidates for the influential nod.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn giving her most political speech to-date in East Harlem Monday.

Some candidates revere former mayors and presidents as their political inspiration. But for Christine Quinn, it’s all about Bruce Springsteen.

The City Council speaker and mayoral candidate delivered a scathing speech against her rivals Monday morning, touting her record and vowing to run the city in the model of her musical idol, "The Boss."

“Anyone who’s ever been to a Bruce concert will tell you he doesn’t hold anything back. He leaves everything on the stage. He gives everything he has to give," she said. "And if I’m lucky enough to become our next mayor that’s how I’ll spend every day. Delivering results for New Yorkers. Holding nothing back. Emptying my tank."

In what was billed "a major speech" in the back room of an East Harlem asthma center, Ms. Quinn delivered what was--by far--her most overtly political and blistering remarks to date. Ms. Quinn, who has up until now stuck largely to touting her own record, shoveled out the criticism, taking one thinly veiled shot after the next.

“This election is not about who can get the most press or give the most pithy sound bite," Ms. Quinn said at one point, for example, obviously referencing former Congressman Anthony Weiner's high-profile candidacy. "It isn't about who can yell the loudest or be the most critical."

She even slammed Mr. Weiner's policy proposal book, which borrowed heavily from his aborted 2009 bid.

"I offer something else, the toughness to lead," she said. "Comprehensive solutions to complicated problems--not 4-year-old position papers dusted off for a comeback run."

On former Comptroller Bill Thomson, with whom Ms. Quinn has repeatedly clashed over the controversial Upper East Side waste transfer station: “Some of my opponents in this race continue to pander to residents of the Upper East Side,” the speaker said.

"Like me, my opponents have spent many years in public office," Ms. Quinn said later, leveling fire at the whole field. "But when you look at their records, there's a great big hole where results should be. You may not agree with everything I've done, but there's never been a time in my career when I wasn't getting results for New York."

“That’s what we need from the next mayor," she added. "Not just empty promises, silly press stunts, or nonstop criticism, but a real plan on how to deliver for New Yorkers.”

The speech comes at a vulnerable moment for Ms. Quinn, the race's front-runner who has found her once-dominating poll numbers slipping and her position as the race's most visible candidate eclipsed by Mr. Weiner's entrée three months before primary day.

Today, she tried to shine the spotlight back on her record on issues like education, affordable  housing and the waste station, which she argued put her far ahead of her crowded field of opponents.

"If you want a candidate who lobs criticism on the steps of City Hall or on the floor of Congress, I’m not your gal. I would rather roll up my sleeves than point my finger, because that’s how progress is made. It's what I've always done. And if I'm lucky enough to be Mayor, it's exactly what I'll continue to do," she told the audience of loyal supporters.

"Talk is cheap. Voters will decide based on actions," she added.

After her remarks, Ms. Quinn was nonchalant about the timing of her speech, which she noted comes as many voters are tuning in to the race.

"We are clearly in the thick of the election season now and this race is about the future of New York," she said, immediately pivoting back to her record, which she said tops all of her opponents in the race. “We are less than three months away from primary day and I think it's really important to lay out exactly what the choice is. And that's what I've done today."

One reporter noted that the same argument failed for her two City Council speaker predecessors, who lost their bids for mayor.

"With all due respect to my predecessors, I don’t think you can touch the record of the City Council since I've been speaker," she replied boldly. "I’ll stack my record against anyone who's running and quite frankly anyone who has run."

But the other candidates quickly began shooting back.

And Public Advocate Bill de Blasio's campaign manager, Bill Hyers, said Ms. Quinn had her priorities backwards.

"Speaker Quinn's accomplishments include giving Mayor Bloomberg a third term, proposing to shower big developers with a billion dollar giveaway, and blocking key progressive legislation for years to placate big business. Bill de Blasio has fought to protect abused kids, expose slum landlords, and invest in education by asking the wealthy to pay a little more in taxes. This election is not a contrast in getting things done -- it's about who you are fighting for."

Peter Vallone Jr. (Photo: Facebook)

Peter Vallone Jr., chair of the City Council's Public Safety committee, is fuming over the federal Justice Department's support for a federal monitor over the NYPD.

Filling in for a traveling Mayor Michael Bloomberg on John Gambling's WOR radio show this morning, Mr. Vallone, who is already fighting other measures to curb stop-and-frisk, blasted Attorney General Eric Holder for trying to "mess with New York City" by suggesting new police oversight in response to a lawsuit against the controversial policy. He specifically warned a monitor would lead to more shooting deaths.

“We might as well just call our police commissioner ‘Deputy Monitor’ because they won't be in charge any more," said Mr. Vallone, who accused the Justice Department of intervening in an attempt to change the conversation away from a slew of bad news.

“It’s the best way for them to turn the attention from the problems that Eric Holder and the administration are having ... I think that’s part of this also, because now we’re talking about this and were not talking about the IRS or the press snooping or any of the other problems, giving guns to the drug dealers," he said. "He can now move the conversation to reforming police procedures."

But Mr. Vallone, who is running for Queens borough president, and a sympathetic Mr. Gambling argued the oversight was unnecessary, pointing to the city's record-low murder rate, which is far below other cities, including Chicago.

“How come he's not all over Rahm Emanuel?" asked Mr. Gambling, referring to the city's mayor and former White House chief of staff.

"Exactly!” exclaimed Mr. Vallone, claiming the city is doing just fine on its own. “We don’t need their help. We’re doing very well in New York City, as you pointed out. Much better than every other city.”

He further said the consequences would be disastrous.

"I’d much rather a 14-year-old boy get stopped legally--civilly--courteously sent on his way than a 14-year-old girl get shot in the head on a bus. And that’s what will happen once we get rid of stop-and-frisk," he warned. “That’s the biggest civil rights violation going. Being killed, right?"

Mr. Vallone, a former prosecutor, was equally critical of his City Council colleagues, blasting them as "clueless" when it comes to the law.

"Some of them actually have good intent, but are just clueless. They don’t have a day of law enforcement experience, and that’s a big problem,” he said. “We’ve got these elected officials that don’t have a clue who are now passing these laws, which are very, very dangerous."

"The thought of the City Council being in charge of the security of New York City when it comes to terrorism is probably as terrifying a thought as I can come up with,” Mr. Gambling quipped.

Mayor Bloomberg, Christine Quinn and the Lord Mayor of Belfast. (Photo: nycmayorsoffice)

Northern Ireland's Lord Mayor of Belfast offered an enthusiastic endorsement of a certain Irish-American mayoral candidate Thursday morning during a visit to Gracie Mansion.

"We think that every city needs an Irish mayor. And New York has had a series of wonderful mayors and we think it would be wonderful in the days ahead, in the short time ahead, if New York had an Irish-American mayor again," Lord Mayor Máirtin Ó Muilleoir told Politicker this morning, as he posed for photographs with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn by his side.

While Mr. Ó Muilleoir didn't mention Ms. Quinn by name, he made little secret that he was referring to the grinning redhead standing beside him, and who had been gushing over him other earlier as they spoke.

"The generosity of Irish Americans-which is wonderful for us back in Ireland--and also the ability of the Irish to make connections, to win people over, those are great qualities in a mayor. So we're fairly hopeful that we will have an Irish-American major soon," he added speaking in a thick Irish brogue.

Mr. Ó Muilleoir spent the morning at Gracie Mansion, where he chatted with the mayor and speaker, as well as Ms. Quinn's father, Larry Quinn.

At one point, Mr. Ó Muilleoir's told Ms. Quinn she didn't have the time to attend the visit. "For you, lord mayor, I wouldn't miss the visit," came the reply.

When they finished, Mr. Ó Muilleoir presented Mr. Bloomberg with a Belfast Giants hockey jersey with the name "Bloomberg" and number "1."

"Let the press notice that it went to the Jew, not to the Irish Catholic," said the mayor, as he held it up for a photo.

"I have a jersey already from the Lord Mayor," Ms. Quinn said, jokingly putting on airs.

Mr. Bloomberg, who was in especially good spirits, also joked that he was "off to Long Island City, where we're gonna announce the presidential campaign"-- an effort, he said, to encourage reporters to come to a press conference the two were holding on new building guidelines to better protect residents from future mayor storms.

There, Mr. Bloomberg, who has refused to reveal his preferred successor, once again praised Ms. Quinn.

"I've said this 1,000 times: I don't agree with her on some things, I violently disagree with her on some things, but she has been a very good speaker who has, by and large, kept the City Council voting on those things that are important and directing them on the best interests of the city," he said.

Ms. Quinn's family immigrated from Ireland--her grandmother was a passenger on the Titanic, in fact. But Mr. Ó Muilleoir also shares a common trait with the current tech-focused, media mogul mayor. Before he was elected, he was managing director of the Belfast Media Group an publisher of the Irish Echo here in New York.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlining his plans to make the city more resilient to future storms.

He may not be seeking a fourth term, but Mayor Michael Bloomberg will nonetheless have an outsized influence in the coming years on City Hall.

With just 203 days left of his administration, Mr. Bloomberg unveiled a far-ranging, 250-plus-point plan to harden the city against future storms like Hurricane Sandy, dumping a massive--and hugely expensive--$19.5 billion to-do list on his successor’s lap.

"This plan is incredibly ambitious--and much of the work will extend far beyond the next 203 days. But we refuse to pass responsibility for creating a plan into the next administration," Mr. Bloomberg said Tuesday as he unveiled the plan  in a former printing press in the Brooklyn Navy Yard that had been devastated by Sandy.

The plans includes new levees, barriers, removable flood walls surrounding vulnerable stretches of Manhattan, new dunes and bulkheads--as well as a proposal for an entirely new neighborhood, dubbed "Seaport City, which would be built on the east side of Manhattan and modeled after  Battery Park City.

"This is urgent work--and it must begin now. So we will use every one of the next 203 days to get as much work as possible underway, and to lock in commitments wherever we can," he said, later telling those gathered--twice: "It's up to you to hold the next administration accountable for getting it done."

Administration officials argued it was crucial to begin improvements as quickly as possible, and pointed to about 60 items they believe they can get done within the next six months, before they leave office. Those include securing an estimated $15 billion in funding (they say they already have $10 billion in place), getting started on design work and studies for some of the longer-term projects, and making changes to building codes and other regulations. They also expect to be able to complete construction on some projects, with beach reconstructions and dune building already underway.

Chris Ward, the former executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and now chair of Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, said he thought the mayor had struck the right balance in terms of how much would be left up to whomever succeeds him at City Hall.

"I think the mayor, to his credit, is leaving his input in terms of where the city should go without saying it has to happen to be a great city. But here's something that we should clearly, clearly think about," said Mr. Ward. "I think you could only say that the mayor's over-reaching in the extent that he's putting a marker down that the next administration cannot ignore ... I think this is a call to the next administration and the next administrator after that."

"Whether they adopt his plan, that's one thing. But if they're not going to adopt his plan, they better have another alternative besides what he proposed,"he said.

Politicker reached out to the major candidates to hear their takes.

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner, often at odds with Mr. Bloomberg and his administration, offered some humble praise. "There is usually little reward in politics for thinking big thoughts about the distant future," he said in a statement. "I honor Mayor Bloomberg for leading this conversation."

Some, including former MTA Chair Joe Lhota, who is credited with getting the transit system back up and running post-storm, seemed to agree.

"I commend Mayor Bloomberg for putting in place a roadmap for dealing with the realities of climate change and the impact it will have on our communities. The mayor laid out an ambitious plan that will proactively protect the city in the event of future natural disasters," he said in a statement. "The plan contains several ambitious capital projects that will be started under this administration, and I will continue to implement as the next mayor."

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn also thanked the mayor.

“As I’ve said before, strengthening our City against future climate risks, such as the devastation we experienced after Sandy, is this is the single most important infrastructure challenge of our time," she said. "The neighborhoods hit by Sandy each have their own unique needs, that’s why it is so important that the Mayor’s report addresses these specific issues. We have seen the terrible consequences storm driven flooding can bring to too many parts of our city.  It's one of the reasons I have advocated so strongly for strengthening our coastal defenses, and I'm glad to see the Mayor facing this challenge head on.”

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio also responded positively.

“While my office has just begun to review the plan, I believe that it can be a foundation for the next administration’s efforts to prepare New York City for the inevitable impacts of climate change," he said in a statement. "The plan rightly focuses on bolstering our resilience through infrastructure improvements like flood walls, tidal basins, sand dunes, surge barriers and green infrastructure, and is right to take a multi-sector approach emphasizing residential homes, businesses, the electrical grid and health care assets."

But former Comptroller Bill Thompson focused his criticism on Mr. Bloomberg's handling of the storm.

"When I'm Mayor, communities in southeast Queens, the South Shore, City Island, and Coney Island will receive the same attention and resources as corporations on Wall Street or businesses on 5th Avenue," he said, noting that gas rationing lasted 15 days in the city--four days longer than in New Jersey and six days longer than in Long Island. "Families and businesses across the city waited in line for hours or walked for miles in the cold to get the essential fuel they needed. And then had to do it again the next day. And the next. That's unacceptable."

And businessman John Catsimatidis showed the most outright skepticism of the plan itself.

"In 1938 the 'Great Hurricane' hit Long Island; 74 years later Superstorm Sandy devastated New York City," he stated. "Today, we need to plan for the future. The $19.5 billion price tag is a huge amount of money. As a businessman, I have to ask the question; will $1 billion, or $2 billion or $3 billion protect us from 90% or 95% of the damage as opposed to spending the full $19.5 billion price tag. That's the question we need to ask."

This post has been updated with Mr. Weiner's and Mr. Catsimatidis's responses.

Debris sits on a Staten Island beach damaged by flooding from Hurricane Sandy. (Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlined a nearly $20 billion master plan Tuesday to shield the city from future Hurricane Sandys, complete with levees, sand dunes, bulkheads, flood walls and a proposed "Seaport City."

The plan calls for the installation of removable "adaptable floodwalls" in riverfront locations across the city, including Hunts Point in the Bronx, along the East Harlem waterfront, the Lower East Side and the Financial District, as well as a new levee and floodwall system along the East Shore of Staten Island, with barriers that could rise as high as 15 to 20 feet.

The proposal, which the mayor is set to outline in a major speech at Brooklyn Navy's Yard's Sandy-damaged Duggal Greenhouse, also calls for the construction of a new dune systems in Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula, with a "double dune" planned for Breezy Point.

While the mayor has less than seven months left in office, he also proposed building a new "Seaport City" on the east side of Manhattan, similar to the existing Battery Park City near the Financial District. The new development, which could stretch all the way to Brooklyn, would be built on "a multi-purpose levee with raised edge elevations," designed to protect the East River shoreline south of the Brooklyn Bridge, while creating a new mini-neighborhood.

Mr. Bloomberg, who has previously said that a sea wall plan was "not practical," also wants to build a storm surge barrier at Newtown Creek and along Coney Island Creek, and announced plans to work with the  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study the feasibility adding "surge barriers" across the mouth of Jamaica Bay to protect communities in Queens.

The suggestions stem from a 430-page “A Stronger, More Resilient New York" report commissioned after Sandy, which contains more than 250 recommendations to fortify the city against climate change, which a city panel found could boost sea levels by more than 2.5 feet by the 2050s,  increase rainfall, and send temperatures soaring--leading to damaging and dangerous heat waves.

The total cost of all 250 recommendations is nearly $20 billion, which the city proposes paying for through a combination of city capital funding and federal aid.

"Hurricane Sandy made it all too clear that, no matter how far we’ve come, we still face real, immediate threats," Mr. Bloomberg said in a statement released before the speech.

"These concrete recommendations for how to confront the risks we face will build a stronger more resilient New York. This plan is incredibly ambitious- and much of the work will extend far beyond the next 200 days – but we refused to pass the responsibility for creating a plan onto the next administration," he said. "This is urgent work, and it must begin now.”

Bill de Blasio and John Lue. (Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images)

There can only be one "most progressive and consistently progressive candidate" in the mayor's race, and two candidates--Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Comptroller John Liu--are in dispute over which one holds the honor.

"I think I present the most consistent progressive platform and I think it's what people in this city want and need right now," Mr. de Blasio said Monday morning during an interview on The Brian Lehrer Show when he was asked about his claim.

Mr. de Blasio quickly ran through his challengers.

On City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, he said, "I can say it plainly: Speaker Quinn wants to continue the vast majority of [Mayor Michael] Bloomberg's policies--in effect wants to continue the Bloomberg administration."

Mr. de Blasio further said 2009 Democratic nominee Bill Thompson is "not willing to tax the wealthy as I am, not willing to focus on living wage legislation and paid sick days, as I am, does not agree with an inspector general or a racial profiling bill for the police department."

Mr. Lehrer, however, took issue when Mr. de Blasio got to Mr. Liu, whom he noted has repeatedly positioned himself to the left of the field on issues ranging from education to the minimum wage. While Mr. de Blasio has proposed reforming stop-and-frisk, for instance, Mr. Liu wants it abolished; while the other candidates generally want more community input into charter school co-locations, Mr. Liu was the first to call for an outright moratorium. (Mr. de Blasio wants a moratorium  for the rest of Mr. Bloomberg's term.)

But Mr. de Blasio argued that he, unlike Mr. Liu, supports a plan to install an inspector general over the NYPD--something Mr. Liu has argued would be unnecessary once he abolished stop-and-frisk as mayor. He also said his plans are more practical.

"I would say there are areas like policing where my positions are more progressive than his. It’s easy to say 'abolish,'" he said, arguing that stop-and-frisk is a critical police tool, if used correctly. "I think what John has put forward  isn’t realistic in terms of how we actually police."

The comments prompted pushback from Mr. Liu's campaign, which said Mr. de Blasio was wrong.

"John has been the most progressive and consistently progressive candidate on the major issues facing our city and our future, from policing and housing to education and economic policy," a Liu spokesperson told Politicker when asked about Mr. de Blasio's remarks. "As Comptroller he has conducted thorough research and as mayoral candidate he has clearly laid out his vision for the future and specific plans for changes we clearly need in New York City."

Mr. Lehrer also questioned whether New Yorkers really want a progressive mayor, after repeatedly failing to elect Democrats from Ruth Messinger to Freddy Ferrer. But Mr. de Blasio argued that this year's race--the first since the consequences of the economic collapse became clear-- will be very different.

“It is not the same New York City that the vast majority of us want and believe in. We have to fight to get that back," he said, adding that New Yorkers are also tired after 12 years of the current mayor.

“I think there is a Bloomberg hangover here," he said. "I think the lack of debate, the lack of transparency, the elitism, has caused many people, particularity Democrats, to want much more profound change."

Mayor Bloomberg during an appearance on WOR. (Photo: Flickr/nycmayorsoffice)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg--who previously suggested so-so students skip college to become plumbers--dished out some more advice to young people Friday morning during his weekly radio show.

Mr. Bloomberg, whose own syntax has sometimes been the butt of jokes, warned kids to pay attention to their grammar lessons or risk losing opportunities later in life.

"Kids have to learn to speak grammar," said the mayor, in response to a caller who suggested kids weren't being taught the subject in schools.

"If you don't speak good grammar--English with good grammar--you're not gonna get the kind of jobs that you want," said the mayor. "You can make an argument that it shouldn't be the case, it's not fair, whatever, [but] people judge each other by how well-spoken they are. And if there's a lot of jargon, and if you can't--double negatives and things like that--they hurt your career prospects."

That's one of the reasons, he argued, it's so important to have good schools. "It is an English-speaking country and, like in My Fair Lady, we do judge each other based on how well we speak."

Host John Gambling said he hoped that message was getting through to young people.

"People think it's cute to jive. And it may be for entertainment, but you just still have to have a command of the English language," concluded Mr. Bloomberg, who admitted he was never good at the subject at school.

"I could never figure out a dangling participle," he joked.

Mayor Bloomberg showing off a new Boro Taxis. (Photo: flickr/nycmayorsoffice)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg was especially chipper this morning during his weekly radio sit-down with WOR's John Gambling, a day after the courts delivered two victories: a win on the city's plan to introduce a new fleet of "Boro Taxis" that will roam the outer boroughs and one that will allow riders to use apps to hail cabs.

The good news continued on the air, where Mr. Bloomberg received calls from two listeners singing his praises, including "Harry from Forest Hills," who suggested a new name for the fleet of outer-borough, green-colored cabs.

"Mayor, this is said with all respect: I think to celebrate your legacy, the new green cabs should be called 'Bloomberg Cars,'" he said.

"Call 'em 'Bloomy Cars!'" suggested host Mr. Gambling, building on the idea.

"Well, you're nice to say so," responded Mr. Bloomberg, who then recalled a conversation he'd had at a restaurant about a customer who would always turn down bottled water and ask for "Giuliani Water" instead.

"Now I said we should say 'Bloomberg Water,'" said the mayor, laughing. "Not to take anything from Rudy."

"Giuliani has a better ring on the water. I don't know why," he continued to muse.

In London, the city's bike share bikes are sometimes called "Boris Bikes" after mayor Boris Johnson, and Mr. Bloomberg has previously joked about naming the city's new fleet "Mike's Bikes" after him.

Giuliani

Mayor Bloomberg. (Photo: Getty)

Last week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his national gun control advocacy organization received two threatening letters laced with the deadly agent ricin. Many mayors would be rattled by this, but Mr. Bloomberg said today that he actually feels more threatened by random lightning strikes.

"I trust the police department and I feel perfectly safe," he said during his weekly WOR radio show with John Gambling. "I've got more danger from lightning than from anything else. And I'll go about my business."

Saying there are "always threats unfortunately, that comes with the job," Mr. Bloomberg vowed to keep working on his gun control policy agenda.

During the interview, the mayor also marveled at how easy it is to construct these sorts of poisons, referencing an urban legend about poinsettia leaves' toxicity.

"Making a poison out of these berries--you can go on the internet," he said. "Don't eat--is it poinsettias that are poisonous? I've always  worried about why kids don't have more problems crawling around the floor and ripping a leaf off a poinsettia."