“Her formula for governing is doomed to fail because there is no clear guiding principle. If she were to use that calculating, transactional approach as mayor, City Hall would resemble an auction house, with all bidders assuming they would get something for their money. Prosecutors and newspapers would have a field day.”

“A year before the mayor’s races in 2001 and 2005, who was considered the Democratic favorite? The incumbent city council speaker,” says a Democratic strategist unaffiliated with any of the current contenders. “But Peter Vallone and Gifford Miller lost those primaries.”

“Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently held private meetings with Democratic mayoral hopefuls Scott Stringer and Bill Thompson, raising questions with each of them about the viability of their candidacies….As he did in the meeting with Mr. Stringer, the mayor told Mr. Thompson that he is inclined to support Ms. Quinn, who has developed a tight professional alliance with Mr. Bloomberg since she became the City Council leader in 2006. Ms. Quinn presided over the body’s decision to overturn term limits in 2008, paving the way for the mayor to run for a third term.”