Mayoral Candidate Exposed As Shameless Vote-Grubbing, Front-Running Sports Fan

If there is one golden rule in New York City politics, it's that you've got to court the Yankee vote if you want to be Mayor. No right-thinking person is going to trust their city to someone who willfully supports the Mets. That's Politics 101. But this? This is an embarrassment. Christine Quinn is New York's City Council speaker and a likely mayoral candidate. She recently did a question and answer piece of sorts with The New York Times in which she commits one of the most inconceivable blunders a politician can make.

Mets or Yanks: I grew up on Long Island as a Mets fan. On my third date with my wife, Kim, I said Mets, and she said Yankees. We had a split household until she turned me on to the Yankees.

What?! I understand it can't be easy being a Mets fan, but this shameful. Even worse, you are 46 years old, Ms. Speaker. You were alive and a functioning person when the Mets were actually good—you've seen the potential. Where are your convictions Ms. Quinn? As a New Yorker with a vote, how can I feel comfortable that when the shit hits the fan you will have the courage to stick to your guns despite overwhelming and most likely sickeningly desperate and dire straits? For years and years and years and years.

Would you just sell out your constituents the moment things got a little messy? Imagine Mayor Bloomberg, a true Yankees fan, gave an interview this week and said "I was anti gallon-sized sodas until my wife turned me on to the Big Gulp." We'd be without a paddle, ma'am.

And what's this about Yankee Stadium being one of your favorite places to go in the city? Sure it's not Times Square or Central Park? Or did someone convince you to leave those spots off? I understand you want a taste of the limelight—the success, the power—it's understandable. But there's a Yankee right way to go about things and a wrong way. Part of being a fan means never jumping ship, no matter how buoyant the alternative. Sure you would be miserable, but you'd be committed—the city could respect that.

Christine Quinn's Newlywed Nest [The New York Times]