With friends like these…. Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown got the word this week that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has officially endorsed his reelection bid. Whoohoo! Brown’s being challenged by Democrat and (pseudo-Native American) Elizabeth Warren. You may question the value (or harm) of the endorsement of a mayor from a different state, but this is Mayor Mike, someone whose opinion of his own influence and importance is only rivaled by the size of his bank account. Given Hizzoner’s political proclivities, you may expect that Ms. Warren would have gotten the Bloomberg nod, so why is he tilting toward Senator Scott? Well guns, of course . . .
But wait – Warren’s as anti-2A as you’d expect any Bay State Dem to be, so what’s the deal? Bloomy spox Stu Loeser sez it’s the Senator’s stance on one particular issue that caught the bilious billionaire’s eye. As he told the NYT,
“If you take a tough stand and buck party orthodoxy that helps the City of New York, the mayor would like to support you,” Mr. Bloomberg’s spokesman, Stu Loeser, said Thursday.
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Mr. Brown has generally received high ratings from gun rights organizations and has not pushed for renewing a federal assault-weapons ban or for tightening restrictions on gun shows. But Mr. Loeser said the mayor had been won over by the senator’s “tough stand” opposing a measure that would have required states to honor concealed-weapons permits issued by other states.
Yep, it’s concealed carry reciprocity that has the Mayor all hot and bothered. So much so that he’s willing to throw all the support his diminutive frame can muster behind a Republican Senator in another state.
“The biggest reason the mayor is supporting Senator Brown is the senator’s help on one of our biggest gun issues: opposing concealed-carry reciprocity that would let people with gun permits from rural states like Arkansas and Kentucky carry hidden handguns in New York City,” Mr. Loeser said.
It’s bad enough that Mike can’t do anything to stop all those uni-toothed sister-humpers from strolling Fifth Avenue should they have the inclination. But the prospect of them doing it while strapped gives an urban sophisticate like the Mayor a spine-jarring case of the heeby-jeebies. Never mind the fact that the proposed law explicitly prohibits toting in jurisdictions where it’s otherwise prohibited.
So relax, Mike. Even if Cletus and Delmer somehow manage to find their way across the Hudson in their ’71 El Camino, it will still be illegal for them to pack heat in your fair city whether the proposed legislation passes or not. There’s no need to muster your army and erect barricades at all the bridges and tunnels. Not yet, anyway. Besides, we doubt the Big Apple tops the vacation destination list of many Wildcat and Hog fans so you won’t have to wait in line any longer than usual at Barney Greengrass, okay?