September 24, 2001

6:53 AM

Sources say that Giuliani will seek to extend his term. It was unclear whether the mayor would try to amend those laws so voters could elect him for a third term or whether he would try to extend his current term. Do these circumstances warrant a term extension? Or should Giuliani retire at the end of the year and head up the clean-up efforts?
posted by phooey (22 comments total)

To say that they warrant a term extension is to say that there are no qualified leaders to replace. With the exception of Mike Bloomberg, all of the contenders for mayor have more than ten years experience in city government, and would be able to step in.

A term extension is more understandable, as long as there is a clear date when the next Mayor would take over but it really seems unnecessary. It would appear the emergency period is over (there are people working now one block from the former World Trade Center site) , and it seems less useful to have his term extended during the clean up and rebuild period.

After all, at a certian point, new leadership is going to have to be acclamated, so the delay seems pointless.
posted by brucec at 7:36 AM on September 24, 2001

Well, I'd say if circumstances ever warranted an extension, the Current Situation would be those circumstances. That said, it's not like he'd be out of office tomorrow. I know it won't be all cleaned up by Dec. 31, but some of the urgency will have subsided, and it seems like it is that which has been driving his astounding ability to lead.
posted by donnagirl at 7:38 AM on September 24, 2001

I would like to see him stick around. His leadership has brought needed calm to my city during this tragic and frightening crisis.

None of the contendors have inspired me by differentiating themselves. None strikes me as the person most needed to run the city under normal circumstances. And these, you'll agree, are not normal cirucmstances.

If Rudy chooses not to extend his term, I plan to write him in anyway.
posted by Zeldman at 7:48 AM on September 24, 2001

If Rudy chooses not to extend his term, I plan to write him in anyway.

I've been writing in George Washington for years. Welcome to the club of ineffective voters.
posted by skallas at 8:51 AM on September 24, 2001

While I have decome a staunch supporter of the mayor and the seeming lack of a worthy successor, rules are rules.
Get ready for the next David Dinkins folks, and hope for Rudy next term.
posted by Grok09 at 9:13 AM on September 24, 2001

The emergency msy have subsided (for now) but the crisis, especially for NYC, has only begun. I think that if the citizens of New York City want Rudolph Giuliani as their mayor, they should have him.

I'm still confused why the President didn't appoint Rudy to head that "Home Land Security" office. He seems uniquely qualified, given his experience and track record as NYC Mayor both before and after the Current Situation.
posted by russh at 9:45 AM on September 24, 2001

While the emergency period will be over soon, the process of removing the rubble; extracting and identifying the bodies; repairing the streets, the subways and the citizens' sense of security will take at least 6 months -- in the case of the citizens' sense of security, it'll be a lot longer than that.

To ask a new mayor to cope with the racial divisions in the city, a downturn in the economy (partially caused by the disaster), and all the other issues involved in running one of the largest cities in the world, along with repairing the effects of the terrorist attack -- it is too much to ask of even the greatest of mayors, to whose number none of the current candidates belong.

I've seen it suggested (on MeFi maybe?) that Rudy could serve his city well by creating an office of WTC Recovery within the city government, and offering to take over that office once his term expires. It would require some legislative action and compromise, but would follow the will of the citizens -- who chose term limits -- much better than would amending the city charter.
posted by eptitude at 9:52 AM on September 24, 2001

While we're at it, lets appoint Bush as president for the rest of his life.
posted by octavius at 10:07 AM on September 24, 2001

The only political figure I've grown an admiration for in the past couple of weeks is Rudy. Whether you liked him or disliked him in the past, he is the one who has risen as a leader in these troubled times to guide a city to recovery. By doing so, he has also helped guide a nation.

The citizens of NYC are the ones who voted on an enacted the term-limit laws in 1993. They should have the power to overturn them. Let the people decide what they want to do going forward.

Me? I'm with Pataki ... "If I were a resident of NYC, I'd write him in ..."
posted by mindBlur at 10:12 AM on September 24, 2001

Rudy has a history of doing something great and then turning out to be a louse when he sees political opportunities.

Two examples of this that come to mind are the Bratton episode (crime drops, sacks the police commish because he got too much credit) and his recent squabbles with his ex-wife (public divorce, fighting over the most petty things with insane accusations). He's done great things for the city, but he's also stepped on a lot of people's toes and appeared to be extremely arrogant in the process (merging Transit Police and EMTs and of course the dung-covered Virgin Mary at the Brooklyn Museum).

He's been great during the past few weeks, but I'm hoping this isn't going to be where we see Giuliani's Mr. Hyde. It's time for him to move on to something else.
posted by rmolenda at 10:26 AM on September 24, 2001

To ask a new mayor to cope with the racial divisions in the city, a downturn in the economy (partially caused by the disaster), and all the other issues ...-- it is too much to ask of even the greatest of mayors, to whose number none of the current candidates belong

Great crisies test people beyond their limits. Its time for someone else to be tested. Pete Vallone and Mark Green, who have been in NY politics longer than Rudy, are acceptable candidates.

Guiliani did not seem to be among the "greatest mayors" in 1989 when he first ran. He proved otherwise.



Russh,

I agree -- Rudy would be an excellent choice for the Homeland Security Manager. I do not think that Ridge inspires the confidence of the nation, nor the will to get it done. I suspect though that Bush didn't want to remove him from NYC mayor during the crisis.
posted by brucec at 11:34 AM on September 24, 2001

The Village Voice has a good article on Guiliani this week. Quite positive in fact. I think though that it would be a mistake to appoint him for a third term -- or to extend his present term. The law that limits terms went into effect with the support of many who now are crying to extend Guiliani's term (present company excepted). Guiliani could have run in this election cycle but for this law. I honestly believe that although we're in the middle of a catastrophe in this city (NYC), that our institutions are strong enough to weather a transfer of power.

The citizens of NYC are the ones who voted on and enacted the term-limit laws in 1993. They should have the power to overturn them. Let the people decide what they want to do going forward.

The law was put into affect in '94 then it went back to the voters a second time in, I think, 2000(?). It's bad and undemocratic but how many times do we have to run through this lousy law?
posted by leo at 12:25 PM on September 24, 2001

I've been thinking he'd be a shoo-in for president, myself.
posted by rebeccablood at 2:03 PM on September 24, 2001

also, I thought term limits were overturned by the supreme court? at least in washington state they were, where tom foley couldn't run again, and then the law was overturned after that election....
posted by rebeccablood at 2:04 PM on September 24, 2001

Of course, it's snarky to bring this up now that we're One Nation, Undivided by Party, but it strikes me as funny how often Republicans, who pushed term limits hardest, now want us to reconsider.
posted by nance at 3:13 PM on September 24, 2001

Giuliani looks pretty good from here, I must say. Good for him. But I wouldn't want to start messing with term limits laws, particularly when the people of NYC have approved them twice in the last ten years.

Re: the Homeland Defense Czar, I was half-expecting, watching the president's speech, to hear him give us John McCain. For one thing, I've been getting mass emails from his people in the last couple of weeks, with online chat this and CNN appearance that, when I've not gotten one email from them since he bowed out of the primaries (I had contributed a small amount of money to the campaign so I'm sure I'm on a friends-of-John-McCain roster somewhere now). Too, the man probably knows a little something about wars and 'wars', and about terror.

But then I realized it was crazy to think McCain would be named to the new position, because above all else there is politics and the Bush people probably didn't even consider it.
posted by Sapphireblue at 4:16 PM on September 24, 2001

An interesting idea from Reinvented Inc. :

"Giuliani, who is being rallied to seek a third term as Mayor, understands that part of recovery is the restoration of confidence, and that the restoration of confidence requires, in part, strong leadership. While we in Canada may have effective managers and defenders of our sovereignty, we are sorely lacking strong leaders, people who can inspire us to greatness, calm us in times of hardship and generally, well, lead.

If Rudolph Giuliani wants to run for Canadian Prime Minister I'm ready to work on the campaign. "
posted by cmacleod at 4:37 PM on September 24, 2001

It's not appropriate. Term limit rules were not enacted to serve as protection "till someone really, really good comes along." Giuliani was far from universally loved before 9/11, and he will return to that status in short order, despite having impressed many of us with his behavior and actions during the crisis.
posted by rushmc at 4:54 PM on September 24, 2001

Although he says "I don't have an announcement", and he is suggesting that voters on Tuesday shouldn't write him in, Rudy isn't saying that he's definitely planning on leaving office on Dec. 31.

(Maybe its a little naive, but I expect more truthful headlines from The Times than "Giuliani Cuts Off Speculation About His Election Intentions." All he announced is that he's not announcing anything today.)
posted by eptitude at 5:54 PM on September 24, 2001

Although he says "I don't have an announcement", and he is suggesting that voters on Tuesday shouldn't write him in, Rudy isn't saying that he's definitely planning on leaving office on Dec. 31.

(Maybe its a little naive, but I expect more truthful headlines from The Times than "Giuliani Cuts Off Speculation About His Election Intentions." All he announced is that he's not announcing anything today.)
posted by eptitude at 5:54 PM on September 24, 2001

Zeldman said it for me. My vote will go to Guliani regardless of who's on the ballot.
posted by tomorama at 6:31 PM on September 24, 2001

Either The Times of London or the Washington Post had a great quote that "Guliani has shown democracy's most elusive quality - leadership". I agree completely - he has been immense, especially in the early hours. This was in stark contrast to GWB, taking the scenic route back to DC.

But that does not mean that he should run for a third term. When the immediate crisis is past, and we have settled into a routine, will New York like him as much? Even Winston Churchill got the boot in 1945.

On 9-1, most people were happy to see him fade away. I am sure that great things lie ahead for Rudy - but they should be in another role and probably in another place.
posted by wpeyton at 8:40 PM on September 24, 2001