NEW YORK - The race for mayor just got a lot more colorful.
Former NYPD detective Bo Dietl threw his hat in the ring with a freewheeling campaign kickoff at City Hall.
On policy issues, he promised to cut the city workforce, voiced support for charter schools, and suggested having police officers and retired detectives assist on child welfare cases.
But mostly, he took aim at the mayor, whom he accused of corruption and referred to repeatedly as "Big Bird de Blasio."
"If you want corruption, re-vote him in," Dietl said. "You know what he should do? He was in Florida with the Boston Red Sox. This is a Yankees city. Go back down to Boston, alright? You know what, you like Havana, you like Nicaragua? Go back. This is New York City. I bled for this city, I love this city."
Dietl is running as an independent after his attempt to register as a Democrat was rejected because he didn't fill out the form properly.
He is a longtime Republican who had a close relationship with Fox News, but now describes himself as a conservative, moderate Democrat.