So Long, Subway Series

Not too long ago, there was a real possibility the presidential election could become a “subway series” — with New Yorkers having a choice among two locals for national office. There was even a third in on the on-deck circle. And a fourth hopeful never suited up. We now know there won’t be a presidential match-up between Senator Clinton and Mayor Giuliani. While Mayor Bloomberg remains poised to enter the race, he’s not likely to become a candidate. And Governor Pataki wanted to run but did not.So we’re down to just Mrs. Clinton, with an unanticipated primary losing streak presenting the real possibility she’ll suffer the same fate as Mr. Giuliani and go from front-runner to also-ran.Far from seeing New Yorkers emerge as the only choices for president, there could be no New Yorkers on the ballot. If New York can’t field a viable presidential candidate in a year with so many viable candidates to choose from, when could a New Yorker ever move into the White House again? Mr. Bloomberg sardonically assessed his chances — or lack of them — by predicting the nation’s aversion to a “short, Jewish billionaire from New York.” Mr. Pataki (neither short, Jewish, nor a billionaire) was just as eager to run for president but he decided he couldn’t win, a decision Mr. Bloomberg seems close to finalizing as well.Mr. Giuliani and Mrs. Clinton took a far different approach. They entered the race as frontrunners and campaigned like they couldn’t lose. Mrs. Clinton may very well pull this out. But the mere possibility she could be out illustrates the dangers of New Yorkers campaigning like New Yorkers.When Mr. Giuliani and Mrs. Clinton faced off briefly in 2000, they were in essence running a local campaign. They used local advisers who were already familiar with the local press who knew what stories were of interest to a local audience. Those same advisers were then enlisted this time around to run a national campaign, though they were unfamiliar with the national press and the stories that would be of interest across the country.Running a national campaign, at the very least, requires caring about — or at least pretending to care about — everyone else. Candidates can’t treat the rest of the country as after-thoughts in the manner New Yorkers treat tourists in Times Square. Both Mr. Giuliani and Mrs. Clinton approached this campaign as if they could decide what states were important, what qualifications were important, and what news outlets were important. That doesn’t play well in the heartland.Mr. Giuliani ran entirely on his New York record. That made sense, because his entire candidacy was predicated on his career here and of course his leadership after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. But rather than broaden his appeal and take his message to voters nationwide, Mr. Giuliani decided to focus on Florida — the warm-weather wonderland for New Yorkers that’s filled with one-time New Yorkers. After all, there are more daily airline flights between New York and Florida than any other destination. But there’s something distinctly “New York” about both the guts and the accompanying arrogance of ignoring states that other candidates are fawning over.The same holds true for Mrs. Clinton. Her ongoing focus on her own competence and experience is all about herself. That kind of me-first attitude is the heart of how Americans view New Yorkers. That’s not to say that attitude wouldn’t work well in the White House. The problem is voters across the country are turned off by that attitude from candidates who want to be in the White House.Both Mr. Giuliani and Mrs. Clinton could have won a contest purely about substantive ideas, determination to make those ideas happen, and general competence to lead. Both have enmeshed in politics long enough to comprehend that style and attitude are the other mandatory ingredients of a successful campaign. But as New Yorkers and surrounded by New Yorkers, they stayed in the New York groove. That plays well here but doesn’t make for a smooth ride on a campaign trail that crisscrosses America.goldincolumn@gmail.com

So Long, Subway Series

So Long, Subway Series

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