This is an interview done by Commentary's blog, Contentions, with noted New York City historian Fred Siegel:
It's relevant to the 2008, inasmuch as it touches on Rudy Giuliani's record and that of Michael Bloomberg. There are a number of sections worth noting...
* For New York City residents, the idea that New York City can no longer have an "un-serious" mayor like Mark Green or Freddy Ferrer or David Dinkins, because the security concerns of the city are simply too grave.
* Mr. Siegel refers to education as the greatest failure of the Giuliani administration, which is certainly correct, in a sense. However, as Mr. Siegel notes, Mr. Giuliani had almost no control over the schools. The much bigger failure on education has come on Mr. Bloomberg's watch, because he's managed to accomplish next to nothing despite mayoral control of the schools.
* Mr. Siegel calls 2008 the "globalization election," because of immigration, terrorism, health care, etc.
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