Campaign Blog

We started with a commitment: to fight for hard working New Yorkers.  We believed Democratic values needed to be renewed with new ideas.  To offer ideas of relevance to middle class people and those struggling to make it.

 We talked about real problems and real solutions. 1.8 million people without health insurance in New York City — and plans to help small business expand coverage. And people joined us. We talked about how hard it is to afford this city.  And the need for fairer taxes middle class people pay 10 percent less in taxes, and the very wealthy pay a little more. And people joined us.

 And we talked about schools. That teachers need to be paid better and principals need authority to bring discipline.

 And our movement grew more.  We’ve started something that will be good for our party, and more importantly will offer real solutions that are relevant to hard working New Yorkers.

 I generally believe in the run off system. But this year is unusual — the winner of a run off will face a Republican mayor who supports George Bush, and a Republican mayor who has shown he will spend any amount to win.  To succeed, we need focus and unity and a chance to make our case against him.

Freddy Ferrer is a good man. We both want to fight for hard working New Yorkers. We may have some differences in approach, but they are very small compared with our differences with Republican Mike Bloomberg.  A man who urged New Yorkers to vote for George Bush and a Republican party whose economic policy leaves hard working people behind.

 I want to be clear.  I am proud to support Freddy Ferrer.  He will be a great mayor.  He will serve two terms.  He has the record, he has the brains, he has the commitment, he has the understanding to not only run circles around Republican Mike Bloomberg, but to lift up our City.

 Nationally and locally, Democratic success depends on ideas, and unity.

 There is a time for campaigning, and there is a time for coming together for hard working people. This is a time to put aside my run off and step aside so Freddy Ferrer — with his long record of service and commitment to all New Yorkers — can quickly begin to make his case against Republican Mike Bloomberg.

 I will always continue to fight for hard working New Yorkers. And am grateful to all the people who stood with me.  Some will agree with this decision, others will not.

 It is my decision. No deals, no understandings. And it was a difficult decision.  It’s in my DNA to keep fighting.  But I believe it is the right thing to do.

Tomorrow, I will stand with Freddy Ferrer and say I am proud to support him. He has the right heart, good ideas, and a record of service to the whole City.

 I want to thank everyone who has stood with me, everyone who worked and believed in this campaign. 

 Thank you.

- Anthony 

From today’s New York Post:

A stunning new poll yesterday showed Rep. Anthony Weiner has caught fire and zoomed into a statistical dead heat with Fernando Ferrer…

Today, the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) announced that they are endorsing Congressman Anthony Weiner for Mayor of New York City.  The endorsement took place outside of the quarters of Engine Company 212 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one of six fire companies closed by the Bloomberg Administration.

The UFA represents 22,000 active and retired New York City firefighters and is the largest firefighters union local in the world.

UFA President Steve Cassidy:

“New York’s Bravest are on the front line everyday fighting for New Yorkers, and Congressman Weiner understands the local public safety issues that affect our city, our firefighters and the citizens we are sworn to protect.”

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From today’s Daily News:

Click here for a list of organizations that are doing important work right now to help the people affected by Hurricane Katrina. 

I had planned to talk today about taxes and the burden they place on middle class New Yorkers and those struggling to make it.  But I am setting that aside today, because something is going on in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast that requires those with a public voice to speak up right now.

I want to read to you the first paragraph of an Associated Press story from last night – “New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday as corpses lay abandoned in street medians, fights and fires broke out, cops turned in their badges and the governor declared war on looters who have made the city a menacing landscape of disorder and fear.”

This is a moment for America to decide what kind of country we will be.

A choice where we will decide what kind of country we live in.  A part of our nation is cut off, alone, and suffering.  We watch television and see the poor, the sick, and the old left alone.

Private citizens across our country are doing all they can. We know they will keep responding.  But federal, state and local government must act.  Now.

They have done something, but it is not enough.  That is not my opinion, it is unanimous. Our City’s editorial pages noted that "nothing short of a swift, national response, is called for." And asked "who’s in charge" and noted the elements that have made this a "man made disaster."
The American spirit is not to blame those left behind.  It is to send adequate police to stop criminals, and adequate resources to help those struggling to survive.

There will be plenty of time to argue about failed policies that may have contributed to this problem – but now is the time for action.
The pictures we are seeing are terrible because they show fellow citizens suffering – children without food, the sick without medicine. Poor people in despair and fighting chaos.

Again, I am not calling for finger pointing.  I am calling for more action.
 
When people are still stranded, when dead bodies have not been collected, when people are begging for water, it is obvious. We need to do more right away.
 
Congress is set to approve a supplemental bill to start the process of sending money. That will help, but that is not enough.
 
The most important thing to do is act. I have ideas on what to do, but I think it is tremendously important that we not just say the government is handling this — clearly there has not been enough done.

Today, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has sent a request to mayors throughout the country, asking them to begin to do an inventory to see if they can house some of the victims.  New York should immediately take stock of how we can accommodate some of our brothers and sisters in need.

But we should be ready to deploy whatever resources we need.  
 
The President and the director of FEMA should be calling mayors and governors throughout the country asking for help.  We have more resources here in New York City that could have been deployed by now – but we haven’t gotten the call.

They should be taking up bus companies and airlines on their offers to help evacuate victims.  Instead, we hear stories about victims waiting for hours for buses that never came.

This should have been done before the disaster.  It’s now well known that FEMA identified a major storm on the Gulf Coast as one of the nation’s most significant vulnerabilities.  But it’s clear today that we were unprepared.
 
I have reached out to my colleagues who represent Louisiana, and they’ve said they’re in dire need of boats, rafts, medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, clothing, money, shelter staff, sewer and electrical workers.  We in New York should stand prepared to deploy what we have.

Again, this is not about politics. I know the Mayor will do whatever is asked of him.

I hope the President will increase his efforts today, and anyone who can help will do so right now.

These are our brothers and sisters calling out for help.  Once we cried out and a nation responded.  Let us hear New Orleans today and give what we can, and do what we can.
 
Thank you.

- Anthony 

A new New York Times poll released today shows Anthony in second place in the Democratic primary race for Mayor.

Weiner Pollster Joel Benenson: 

“What this poll shows is that Anthony Weiner’s message of lower taxes for the middle class, paying teachers more and getting back to basics in the classroom, and housing that middle class families can afford, is resonating and moving voters."

Today Anthony unveiled his plan to make housing in New York City more affordable for the middle class and those aspiring to get there.

The Weiner plan calls for 168,000 units of affordable housing over the next 10 years, new steps to keep rental costs low, and a commitment to building housing that the middle class can afford.

“New York is the greatest city in the world, but too many middle class families are being driven out by high housing costs. Real solutions start with building more affordable housing and preserving the stock that we already have, but it also means taking real steps to keep rental costs low.” 

– Anthony

Check out what the pundits are saying:

"I thought Anthony Weiner looked like an adult, like a serious person with serious ideas."
—Tom Doherty, GOP consultant.

"Weiner wanted to make his case forcefully that he is the candidate of ideas and proposals, that he’s forceful, that he’s willing to fight for the middle class. I think he did that pretty forcefully."
—Howard Wolfson

"In the case of Anthony Weiner, he was trying to stake out some different thematic and philosophical ground. He basically says we can’t keep doing as Democrats the same things we’ve done for three elections in a row that we’ve lost. We’ve got to give people a middle class tax cut. He does have a somewhat different thematic message about what it means to be a Democrat in New York in 2005."
—Howard Wolfson.

"Winners, losers tonight?" —Davidson Goldin
"Weiner, Freddy, Gifford, and Virginia last." —Gerson Borrero, El Diario

"Weiner had the best performance of the night, especially given that he was in the hospital a few hours ago."
—John Avlon, New York Sun

In another sign that Anthony’s strength in the Bronx is growing, today Congressman Eliot Engel announced his support for Anthony’s campaign for mayor.  Anthony has already been endorsed by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and the Benjamin Franklin Democratic Reform Club, the largest Democratic club in the Bronx.

In Eliot’s words: 

"Anthony Weiner is a fighter for the middle class and for working New Yorkers.  I have known and admired his hard work since he first came to Congress.  He understand the Bronx and its needs, and this means a lot to me and to my constituents."

Anthony is thrilled to have Eliot’s support:

"As a nine-term congressman, Eliot Engel commands respect for his hard work and diligence.  He serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the most important in the House, as well as the International Relations Committee.  He has worked hard for health care for the elderly and to protect Social Security.  And there is no firmer friend of Israel in Congress." 

Today, District 15 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) announced its support for Anthony.  District 15 of the IAMAW represents 12,000 area members.

In making the announcement, District 15 Directing Business Representative James Conigliaro cited Weiner’s fight to win better benefits for airline workers, his efforts on behalf of middle class workers, and his opposition to CAFTA:

“When working people in New York City have fought for better benefits, better job conditions and better jobs, Anthony Weiner has been right there, standing shoulder to shoulder with us, leading the fight. We know we can count on Anthony Weiner to fight for us in City Hall. No one has fought harder than Anthony Weiner to make the lives of working people better in New York City. Anthony Weiner is a proven winner with a proven record of advocacy on behalf of working families. He’s always stood up for what’s right and what he believes in, and that’s why we are proud to endorse him.”

Anthony says:

“I am honored to have the support of James Conigliaro and the working men and women of the IAMAW. James Conigliaro has spent his life leading the fight for a better workplace in this City and across the country. No one has fought harder and with more passion and commitment than he has. Together, we will fight for working people in all five boroughs, and bring new leadership to City Hall.”

Anthony has been a leader on labor issues throughout his career in public service. He led the successful fight to keep Wal-Mart out of Rego Park, Queens. In Congress, he’s fought for higher wages and the right to organize, worked to keep high quality, good paying jobs in the United States and to protect employee pensions. In 2004, he received a 100% rating from the AFL-CIO.