Anthony Weiner:
A Political Hot Dog Tackles Queens

Anthony Weiner is a fine Congressman.

Anthony Weiner is an exceptional politician.

We’re not attempting to detract from his hard work, principled commitment and driven representation of his district, however, to this writer, it is his political prowess that sets Anthony Weiner apart from the pack.

My words, not his: Anthony Weiner is a consummate politician. He is analytical and driven. He is a student of the political game, which he loves. He plays it hard and well. He understands political trends and grasps political nuances. He knows that working hard to get elected is a full-time job — and he loves doing it. He obviously acquired a great deal of his political drive and wisdom from his mentor and Congressional predecessor Senator Chuck Schumer – a political killer in his own right.

Weiner opened our Friday morning chat by asking me my experience with elections in the new portion of his Queens district.

I believe he knew that before coming to the Tribune, I managed Gary Ackerman’s 1978 State Senate race encompassing those portions of Fresh Meadows, Hollis Hills, Electchester and Pomonok that Weiner acquired last week when the legislature finalized the newly redistricted map.

He knew that Gary had also represented those areas in Congress 10 years earlier and managed to find a seat next to Ackerman as the two took the train back from Washington last Thursday. He pumped Gary; he pumped me. He wanted to know the “political sense” of the district.

“Where do I ring doorbells?” he asked, demonstrating a willingness to work harder than most Congressmen, who like him are sure winners in a new District.

“I need a certain outlet for my natural level of anxiety,” he said explaining why he plans to run hard this summer even though redistricting made him, as he put it, “a big winner.”

Weiner, from Brooklyn, now has a district comprised of 70 percent Queens...when you add the new pieces to the area of Forest Hills south to Howard Beach he represented previously.

He was saddened to lose parts of Brooklyn, like the house he grew up in, but was relieved when he saw whom he’ll be representing now. He did, however, point to splitting Howard Beach as a “mistake.”

Yes, Anthony Weiner will likely win his new seat without a primary and walk away with the General Election over some unknown Republican by more than 30 points. But Anthony Weiner will spend the summer campaigning as if his career depends upon it.

“How do they get to work?” he inquired looking for bus or train stops at which to campaign in the morning to meet his new constituents. After the Trib stop, he was scheduled to meet with seniors at the Pomonok Center...a new addition to his district.

I wondered during the interview whether his request to meet with me was for press exposure or to enable him to pick my brain about the new portion of his district.

Although not recently, this writer has managed his share of successful political campaigns — many of them in the turf just acquired by Anthony Weiner.

I’ve talked politics with the best of them in my time and few have the combination of political scholarship and drive that Anthony Weiner possesses. He lives the game in his mind, heart and soul — he’s a rare one, indeed.

Now earning all those superlatives doesn’t make Weiner a good Congressman — although he is. 

NATIONAL ISSUES

He knows his stuff on a Congressional level.

I inquired, “We know how Council members and State Legislators affect our everyday lives; how do members of Congress really impact the way we live?”

“Since Sept. 11,” Weiner explained, “there is nothing on the City, State or Federal level that doesn’t have to do with terrorism.” He mentioned airport security, developing downtown, border security, the economy, student visas and immigration policy.

Adding, “The issue of terrorism is a subtext of every other issue right now...I think we are in a rare moment in our civic lives when all eyes are on Washington.”

I borrowed from late night political pundit Bill Maher and suggested that Homeland Security sounds like a department in Home Depot, somewhere between the “Bath and Kitchen Fixtures” and “Lawn and Garden.” I asked Weiner for a better name.

How about calling it the “Department Of Reading The Memos That The FBI Didn’t,” he retorted quickly.

As for fighting terrorism, Weiner explained, “When we decide to do something, we do it extraordinarily well . . . that’s what makes this a great country   . . . but then we are easily distracted.” He believes that the nation is safer from terrorism right now, “than in any time in recent history.”

We moved to the Middle East crisis and he explained that the Palestinians “decided they are not going to beat Israel militarily,” and so began a “public relations offensive...appealing to the U.S. and European media...The Palestinians are waiting for the next [Israeli] guy because, in a successful democracy,  “You can’t have every three days, 20 or 30 of your children being blown up.”

The Bush Doctrine is simple, he explained, “either you’re with the terrorists or you’re against the terrorists... The President,” said Weiner, “had 15 good months and one shaky month when he tried to negotiate diplomacy in midst of what is a fight against terrorism.”

I echoed the complaint of City Comptroller Bill Thompson that the Federal government is not helping New York with operating funds lost because of the terrorist attack.

“We’re not going to give revenue replacement money,” he explained. “We don’t give out a bag of cash to use as backfill . . . It is impractical to believe it is going to happen.”

Meanwhile, Weiner, who is seeking a seat on the Transportation Committee, is looking to think “outside the box” in securing additional Federal funding.

He is petitioning FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) for two million dollars for ferry service to the Rockaways as a follow-up to the wear and tear on the transportation system after Sept. 11.

He gave just about everyone in government high marks in this post Sept.11 period of crisis management, but his political rabbi, Chuck Schumer, not surprisingly, got the only “exceptional.”

Fiscal management was the area in which he took issue with the Bush administration, “but that’s it.”

AND ON HIS FUTURE

“Anthony,” I asked, “and what do you want to do when you grow up?”

“I have a good job and I’m not really qualified to do anything else. I’m still growing and learning,” he responded.

And I came back, “Aren’t you running for Mayor?”

As he denied any intent, he said, “It is the only job better than the one I have now . . .It’s good to be king.”

Claiming to have not discussed a Mayoral run with any advisor except his cat Matisse, he admitted, “I started thinking about it the day I was elected to the City Council. I looked across the hall and realized how powerful the Mayor is in this town....He can pick up the phone and do things.”

We played: “After Bloomberg, who is going to run for Mayor”

He listed Freddy Ferrer and Virginia Fields.

He agreed to Bill Thompson.

Looking for potential white candidates, he snidely suggested Mark Green.

This student of politics, Anthony Weiner, sat there and claimed he was not running and then preceded to eliminate just about every name of every potential candidate who could cause him trouble in the race.

Oh, we believe that Weiner is not considering a run for Mayor.

We believe he has set his sights on it and is running full speed ahead.

And when he left our office to go shake hands in his new district, Tamara and I started writing campaign slogans to be printed on the napkins of all frankfurter vendors in New York City:

“Weiner is on a roll.”

“Weiner’s opponents don’t cut the mustard.”

“Weiner for top dog.”

Frankly speaking, next time you see Anthony Weiner, he’ll be there working hard for you. Just don’t get in between him and the path to Gracie Mansion.

Angela Montefinise & Tamara Hartman contributed to this column.

Peter Vallone, Jr.: Taking The Job Seriously

Peter Vallone, Jr. has followed in his father’s footsteps as Councilman from Queens’ 22nd District (Astoria). He is serious, hard working and cares deeply about his job, his district and the City.

As chairman of the committee on Public Safety, Vallone has developed an expertise and pursues his subject as technician, legislator and former prosecutor. Funding for police staffing tops his list of priorities.

His serious demeanor when talking City business is starkly juxtaposed against the relaxed late night, online friendship we’ve developed.

He loves his job. “I get to help people. It’s humbling and rewarding,” he explains. “Mike Bloomberg is doing a good job.” Vallone is “impressed with the energy and ideas of the new Council.” Speaker Giff Miller is “Learning as he goes and following in great footsteps,” referring to his father, Peter Vallone, the former Speaker.

Although he has his several complaints concerning government, one overriding issue dominated our discussion — the budget and helping the City.

“We [the City] should not be spending one God damned cent because of 9-11,” he said with emotion. “It’s their fault. The Federal Government failed us,” he told me two week ago. And as each day passes and each news report comes in, it appears that Vallone’s insistence that the Federal government failed to recognize the warning signs and protect our City is becoming much more of a reality.

“They must not fail to pay to make us whole,” Pete asserted.

During this time of budget crisis, Vallone has worked diligently to find alternative sources of revenue. He has sponsored a resolution calling on the State to amend existing law so that the “70 cent cellular telephone surcharge” be returned to municipalities like the City, that operate their own 911 emergency phone system.

As chair of Public safety, he has challenged the Fed’s unwillingness to reimburse the city for salaries paid to the NYPD who worked at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks. Specifically he cites a FEMA’s rejection of a 270 million dollar request for legitimate Sept. 11 related claims.

The theme continues, as Vallone, a student of public safety, has explored Federal Grant Programs such as COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) and has sought alternative and creative ways to utilize such funding to supplement or supplant city funding for law enforcement.

As he looks to his future, he comments that his jobs of Councilman and Public Safety Chair keep him quite challenged and content, but adds “If they’re are counting me out as a potential leader of the Council, they’re making a big mistake.”

This third generation of public servant from Astoria has a lot to live up to and he has the ability to do it.

But somehow, it is our hunch that the real attraction for this former prosecutor and student of public safety is held by the Queens District Attorney’s Office. We have not discussed such aspirations with Pete Jr., however, when Dick Brown decides to call it a day, remember where you first read Peter Vallone, Jr. as a likely successor.

Not4Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

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