It Sure Sounds Like Clinton Didn’t Want De Blasio Campaigning for Her in Iowa
When New York Mayor Bill de Blasio approached his old boss Hillary Clinton about campaigning on her behalf in Iowa, her campaign said no thanks, that won’t be necessary, he told the Times. Rather than accept that snub gracefully, de Blasio went to Iowa anyway and performed what amounted to entry-level volunteer work. Take a hint, my man.
“I wanted to do exactly the kind of stuff I’ve done in the past,” the mayor said of the appearance. “Knocking on doors, phone calls, like, real work. That’s what I consider the natural thing to do.”
Sure you did, pal.
According to his own account, de Blasio was told “they don’t need more surrogates in Iowa, they’ve got plenty,” when he first approached Clinton’s organization. Then he clarified: he was willing to do “whatever kind of work you need.” So they sent him to knock on doors.
Perhaps Hillary’s reticence to accept the support of de Blasio, who helmed her successful U.S. Senate bid, had to do with his long delay in endorsing her for president over Bernie Sanders, whose progressive platform jibes more closely with the mayor’s own. Or maybe it’s because, as the New York Daily News observed, no one in Iowa knows who Bill de Blasio is.
Many of those voters had no idea who the tall guy knocking on their door was.
The News followed him while he was canvassing in Indianola, a small city south of Des Moines with a population of around 15,000 — about the same as a few blocks of Manhattan.
One woman rebuffed the mayor and his wife, Chirlane McCray, who accompanied him, in seconds.
“Thanks anyway. I like your shirt though,” he said about her mustard-colored Iowa Hawkeyes garb as her door was closing on him.
Bill, come on, buddy. Come on.
