In a day that was as predictable as a Harlem Globetrotters basketball game, Bill de Blasio made some news yesterday by ignoring the Democratic talking points surrounding Hillary Clinton's re-entry onto the political court.
Appearing on "Meet the Press," de Blasio made Chuck Todd almost snarf his coffee after he pointedly refused to endorse Clinton's presidential bid just hours before it was becoming official, saying: "Like a lot of people in this country, I want to see a vision."
While he may have been trying to appear politically canny, the mayor instead looked a tad ungrateful to a family that has served as a massive springboard for his political career.
From his days working in the Clinton administration in the Department of Housing and Urban Development to "managing" Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign to being sworn in by Bill Clinton last year, de Blasio hasn't hesitated to rely on the family for professional advancement. But when the time came for the mayor to return the favor, the Clintons – like everyone else -- will be forced to wait for de Blasio.
Perhaps de Blasio thinks that his non-endorsement gives him some sort of liberal bargaining chip with the Clintons but he has nothing really to bargain. Is there any question that New York City won't vote heavily for Clinton even if she has a primary opponent? And is there any doubt that Clinton will remember this moment if she ever wins the White House? Knowing how things work, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Andrew Cuomo all quickly checked the box.
If de Blasio wanted to duck Todd's question, the easy way out yesterday would have been simply to say: "Like everyone else, I'm waiting for an announcement and there will be another day for endorsements."
Instead, he made it sound like Clinton has to pass some sort of liberal litmus test in a city that overwhelmingly voted for her twice in two Senate elections.
Since leaving the Clinton team, de Blasio has sometimes had a tin ear when it comes to presidential campaigns, backing John Edwards in 2004 when John Kerry was on a roll.
While he may want to become a mini-Elizabeth Warren, playing Hamlet to Hillary wasn't a smart role for the mayor. There are other times to become a liberal standard bearer besides when your old boss is asking you for a reference.
It's not too late for de Blasio to jump on Hillary Clinton's Iowa bandwagon. Because in politics, he who hesitates – or is late -- is lost.
Bob Hardt