Quinn Joins Protest Against Bloomberg, Denies It's Symbolic

Christine Quinn took the unusual step of protesting Michael Bloomberg, the mayor with whom she’s had an extremely close working relationship.

The protest was over the mayor’s plan to restructure the city's senior centers. Critics say the plan will not save money, and will reduce services unnecessarily. The mayor’s administration has argued the changes are a way to better monitor a sprawling and confusing network of social programs.

The protest comes at a time when, for political reasons,  Quinn needs to demonstrate that she is willing and able to stand up to the mayor.

Late last month, Quinn reversed what she had once called a “fundamental” opposition to extending term limits, and actually helped cobble together enough votes to do just that, allowing Bloomberg to seek a third term in office.

At the rally, I asked Quinn what she’d say to critics who’d see this protest more for its symbolism--to separate herself from Bloomberg--than for its substance.

That's focusing on the wrong details, she said.

“If I had worn closed-toed shoes, you would have said that was a desire to  have a tougher shoe so I could kick somebody in the tuchas, to seem tough,” she said.