Mayor Bill de Blasio is refusing to hit back, at least publicly, against a man viewed by many as his political bully, Governor Andrew Cuomo. It is all part of the mayor's understated response to the end of the legislative session in Albany. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.
The swipes from Governor Andrew Cuomo against Mayor Bill de Blasio are arguably schoolyard politics at its worst, but de Blasio is not taking the bait. He barely flinched when asked about Cuomo all but confessing to have been the source of anonymous quotes trashing the mayor earlier this week.
"We are focused right now on policy," de Blasio said. "I know that's a little hard to take in. But what we care about in Albany is the policies that are being determined as we speak. That's where my focus will remain."
While the mayor said he is focused on policy, he is not that interested in talking about it, refusing to deliver a detailed analysis of how the city has fared in Albany. The mayor came up short on several policy goals, and he is not eager to admit defeat.
"I'm going to reserve my right to see the final product," said de Blasio. "Everyone who's familiar with Albany knows there's a lot of shaking out in the last hours of the process."
That said, he did express optimism about the extension of rent regulations and changes to a tax credit program meant to spur the creation of more affordable housing.
"We'll have a lot more to say as we get more detail," said de Blasio.
Earlier in the day the mayor appeared to have been reluctant to even say as little as that. Reporters were initially told the mayor would not take any off-topic questions at a press conference on neighborhood policing. But when a number of news organizations complained, City Hall reversed course.
"From the beginning of this process, I said we were talking about issues that will affect millions of people," said de Blasio. "That's my focus. Not personalities."
Perhaps the mayor feared questions, which he got, about Cuomo.
The mayor may not hold his tongue forever, though. In response to a question about the governor, he said he will talk about other things after the session in Albany is over.