Party Pooper

Say what you want about Chris Quinn, but you can't say that the woman lacks loyalty-at least not loyalty to the man who has helped her make all of the tough decisions over the past four years; and that would be her mentor, the intrepid Mike Bloomberg. So loyal is Quinn to her tutor, that she can't say that she will support the Democratic nominee for mayor come this November: "Council Speaker Christine Quinn told voters Thursday night she couldn't promise to endorse the Democratic nominee for mayor, leaving open the possibility the city's most powerful Democratic official could endorse Mayor Bloomberg. "After the democratic process, when we know who the two individuals are who are running, whatever lines they're running on, I'm going to pick the individual who I believe is best for the city and best for the mayoralty," Quinn said at the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club's candidate forum."

What's instructive about the Quinn statement, is that it is a clear exposition of what most folks have felt since she took over as the Democratic speaker of the city council: "Councilman Tony Avella, a longshot Democratic candidate for mayor, said he's not surprised by the comments. "She's been rolling over for Mike Bloomberg on almost every sort of issue that he's brought to the forefront in the City Council," Avella said. "She does what she's told by Mike Bloomberg - I think it's unfortunate that she's turned her back on the Democratic party."

So, it's hardly surprising that the man who she has slavishly followed-even to the extent of totally flipping, and overturning the term limits concept that she had touted as sacrosanct, is someone for whom she is holding out for come the fall's election. After all, if all of the Republican Party leaders can swallow their pride and accept the Bloomberg money, why can't the Deputy Mayor for Legislation remain consistent in her support of her once and future boss.

The one thing that would complicate this eventuality, however, is Quinn's desire to remain in her current post. Snubbing the African American candidate of her own party for Daddy Bloombucks might just be enough to inspire the supine members of the council into insurrection. Our belief then, is that despite her current Mary Wells quality obeisance to her guy, Quinn will eventually support the Democrat-in what will be one of the most historically tepid displays of such allegiance in the city's history.