By MICHAEL SCHENKLER

The Republican Party is alive and struggling in New York City and looking very much different from the Grand Old Party of the nation . . . or the Grand Old Party of our parent’s New York.

The five members of the City Council are likely to be reduced drastically — all three Queens seats may go to the Dems. The Republicans have a Queens Borough President candidate who is mired in scandal, and who would not be competitive under the best of circumstances.

This year, there is no Comptroller and no Public Advocate candidate on the Republican line – a devastating comentary on the G.O.P. talent pool.

But two former Democrats are embroiled in a primary election to become the Republican candidate for Mayor. They offer the dying GOP a brand new lease on life.

After interviewing the four Democratic candidates for Mayor, I had the chance this week to chat with Herman Badillo and Mike Bloomberg, and it seems to this writer that the best race has yet to come.

I grew up on government and politics. It’s in my blood; it was in the family blood.

There are the names of the past — the legends that are still occasionally mentioned around the office when an old photo or story appears. There are the discussions that still take place among the political junkies, operatives and powerbrokers who used to occupy the smoke-filled rooms. Only the rooms are no longer smoke filled, the power not as potent and the operatives a bit more high tech. But the game is the same and the legends still stand tall. That is, those who weren’t indicted convicted or shamed.

Some of the political legends are still right here in our city. David Garth, the granddaddy of consultants, is showing again that he still plays with the best. Among park junkies, Henry Stern is more than a legend.

Ed Koch.

Some of the great old legends are playing like they’re at their prime.

I met with one such political legend Thursday morning.

Herman Badillo, the nations premier Hispanic public servant who was born in Puerto Rico, turned 73 this week. A proud product of public schools, he graduated magna cum laude from City College, cum laude from Brooklyn Law, was admitted to the NY Bar in 1955 and became a CPA a year later.

Herman has served as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Housing Relocation, Bronx Beep, and the first Puerto Rican member of the Congress, representing a tri-county Bronx, Queens and Manhattan district. He left Congress to serve as Deputy Mayor in the Koch administration. He is a founding partner of one of the City’s most powerful law firms and was appointed chairman of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York by Governor George Pataki.

Herman Badillo has done it all — including run for Mayor as a Democrat.

But now the tall, fit, successful immigrant American is seeking the City’s highest job as a Republican.

"Our plans as liberal Democrats just didn’t work out," explains Badillo. "Government just is not going to be able to provide jobs for all, health care for all, housing for all."

"The answer," asserts Badillo, "is educating people."

"Schools have traditionally been afraid to flunk blacks and Latinos. This double standard of social promotion has made them unable to perform," explains Badillo who objects to the watering down of standards in the public school and speaks with pride about raising the entrance level at CUNY’s four-year colleges.

"Standards" is the theme of Badillo’s presentation. He came to this country and worked hard to achieve success. The same thing must be required of others.

He insists we must keep the municipal hospitals open and use innovative far-reaching programs like Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus.

He applauds the accomplishments of Rudy Giuliani, explaining, "We must keep the City manageable — take action against small criminals. Auto theft must be treated as a crime and not an insurance problem. Street cops must arrest drug dealers. The 10-year–olds on the corner know who they are," he explains.

Herman speaks with the heart and vision of a liberal from the old school as he applauds President Bush’s Education Bill.

He explains, "I’m pro-choice, for immigration, for gun control just like Pataki and Giuliani." Herman’s Republican party does not reflect the same values as the national GOP.

He appreciates the neighborhoods that make up our City and intends to utilize the Borough Presidents to insure input like they once had under the Board of Estimate.

A mighty big primary on Sept. 11 stands between Herman Badillo and fulfillment of his vision. He is outgunned by a self-made billionaire who is prepared to spend millions to win election. Badillo’s fundraising to date has been unimpressive. He expects to first qualify for matching funds next week. In total, Badillo will wind up spending less than $2 million — perhaps a lot less — a paltry sum by today’s standards.

But with only 100,000 to 125,000 voters in the primary, he believes he can get his message to the voters.

With no consultants, traveling alone, and an opponent who does his best not to share a platform with him, the odds are against Badillo.

Herman Badillo has a long way to go. Herman Badillo sets his standards high.

The legend continues.

A Businessman Eyes Gracie Mansion

I like Mike.

I wasn’t supposed to.

I mean here’s a Democrat - a billionaire - who became a Republican to run for Mayor. It has been reported that he puts his foot in his mouth — he’s an unsophisticated politician. He was to me, another very rich guy trying to buy his way into an office he didn’t deserve.

Mike Bloomberg & Mike Schenkler photo: Dee Richard

Well, it wasn’t the first time that very little of what I thought going in turned out to be true.

Mike Bloomberg is bright, visionary, compassionate, knows our City and does not want to be a politician. He wants to be Mayor.

"I’ve learned a lot," he says of his short journey into elective office.

"The political press is not at all like the business press," Mike explained. "In politics they use quotes," suggesting that the business press was more concerned with the substance of the story than the sound bite.

"No prayer in school," he said absolutely when I brought up one of those sound bites that seem to haunt him, "a moment of silence" is okay with the Supreme Court.

What the press has suggested were political gaffs, Mike says are the result of "honest, open and creative comments by a non-politician thinking outside the box."

His party switch?

"The Democrats, Republicans and Independents came to me. We made an assessment."

"It will certainly be a tragedy if I don’t get elected," he explained, "a tragedy for education, for housing, for public health, for crime prevention."

"New York is a compassionate city," he said "it takes care of its citizens." And Bloomberg has the heart and business know-how to make it work better.

Education: "Eliminate the Board of Education. Empower principals. Allow them to assign teachers, remove disruptive students from the classroom. We must make sure that our new immigrant students learn the language."

"We’re a city of neighborhoods. We must build housing — low cost housing on government parcels. We need more Coop Citys. We must simplify the system, file plans electronically," Mike wants to apply common business practices to an antiquated bureaucracy.

"Customer service" or "citizen service" he used interchangeably describing the path that as mayor he would take to insure delivery of City services.

"Rudy did a good job," but reality or perception is there are those who feel left out.

"You have to go to the communities, go to the churches." "I’m learning to speak Spanish," Mike revealed, "and not doing very well."

"The school construction overruns are insane."

"The transit authority should be under City control."

Mike smoothly moved from issue to issue with familiarity and vision applying common sense solutions to everyday problems.

The analytical businessman-with-a-heart shrugged his shoulders occasionally in reaction to state control of City services or ethical missteps by elected officials.

"We just don’t do it, in the company" he spoke of conflict of interest. Mike will have no part of it, neither will his administration.

When asked about buying elections and raising money the way the other candidates do: "Get serious," Mike retorted, "the big contributors want more than access. They give money to get favorable treatment."

"I’ve given hundreds of millions to charity, I certainly can spend my own money on my campaign."

"Partisan elections are not good for the City," Mike reiterated his position favoring removing political designations from City elections to provide more choice and take the power out of the hands of a few.

"Why just City elections?" I pushed.

"Do it at all levels," he reacted quickly, ignoring the cautions of a political professional who accompanied him.

"I don’t know if I would have voted for John McCain," Mike explained. "But we certainly should have had the chance. If there were no party designations, John McCain would have made it to November."

"The role of race in election or appointment?" I asked.

"Insist on the best, but reflect the community," he responded.

As we sat and chatted with the big spending businessman seeking the Republican nomination for mayor, we saw the heart, soul and politics of an old fashioned liberal. He’s for unions with responsible leadership, pro domestic partnerships, opposes the death penalty and advocates providing for our most needy citizens first.

Mike Bloomberg is confident. He is learning. He is determined. He is a bright and skilled executive who offers the city a new perspective on management.

"Win or lose, I’m staying in public service. I’m not going back to the company."

And, I asked, "If you win, and become Mayor Mike, what do you want to be remembered for?"

"I want them to say that during my term, crime went down; reading and math scores went up; workforce turnover went down and housing went up," Mike, the non-politician responded with a memorable thirty second sound bite.

He’s a fast learner.

And I like Mike.

Not4Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

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Michael Schenkler can be reached at: MSchenkler@queenspress.com