Is He Jealous Or What? De Blasio's Attacks On Presidential Hopeful Bloomberg Increasing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Michael Bloomberg quickly moved into fifth place in the Democratic presidential primary standings, just as the current resident of Gracie Mansion stepped up his criticism of the Big Apple's former mayor.
Are their differences philosophical or is Bill de Blasio simply a tad bit jealous?
CBS2's Marcia Kramer looks at the politicians' complicated relationship.
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Nov. 6, 2013 could be a day that will live in infamy in the history of New York City politics. It was the day de Blasio won the mayor's race and could very well be the last time he looked at Bloomberg with something like respect in his eyes.
De Blasio has been trash-talking Bloomberg ever since.
"He does not understand that working people are being cheated in this country," de Blasio said recently. "Oh, by the way, he's a billionaire."
De Blasio, whose own failed presidential ambitions are certainly fodder for a daytime soap opera, has picked up the pace of his anti-Mike mantra since his predecessor entered the 2020 race.
"He says he wants to rebuild America. I have spent six years trying to fix what he broke and trying to build back from a whole series of mistakes," de Blasio said.
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Despite a late entry and aided by a gazillion-dollar ad buy to introduce himself to voters, Bloomberg is surging in the polls.
In fact, one poll out Tuesday has Bloomberg at 6%, up from 3% before he entered the race. Another gives him 5%, up from 3%.
Bradley Tusk, a Bloomberg adviser who ran his mayoral campaigns, said of the former mayor's surge, "It's all been embarrassing for de Blasio. Mike has already in the span of two weeks exceeded the support de Blasio got for his entire time in the campaign."
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There are many theories about why Mayor Bill is going after Mayor Mike. Some say it's just plane jealously.
John Jay professor Heath Brown disagrees.
"I don't think it's jealousy. Iowa this time of year is probably not where anyone would be jealous of being. I think this is just basic disagreement on policy and politics," Brown said.
Kenneth Sherrill of Hunter College said de Blasio's trash talk will actually help Bloomberg.
"It establishes him as a centrist because it makes him appealing to recovering Republicans, to centrist independents, and mythical suburban women," Sherrill said.
Tusk said the attacks are not good for de Blasio's image and he should let up.
"Here's this jealous, petty, bitter man who's being vindictive. Hopefully you would see that and say, 'I shouldn't behave like that,'" Tusk said.
The mayor's press secretary turned down Kramer's request for an interview. Meanwhile, CBS2 has learned that de blasio wont be joining other mayors in Iowa this week to quiz the presidential candidates. It seems he was still a candidate when the forum was put together, which disqualified him from taking part.
