Citizen Zuckerman
"Mortimer Zuckerman, publisher of The NY Daily News, is mulling a run for the Senate against (Senator) Kirsten Gillibrand."
NY Times, Feb. 12, 2010
If Zuckerman decides to run, he will become the real-life " avatar" of the fictional Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy newspaper owner who runs for governor in the film classic Citizen Kane. The film was loosely based upon the career of another real-life newspaper tycoon with political ambitions: William Randolph Hearst. ( So life imitates art, which in turn, imitates life.)
Although Zuckerman is now a US citizen, he was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1937. He earned his bachelor's degree at McGill University in 1957 and an MBA at Wharton in 1961. After teaching at Harvard and Yale Business Schools, he went into the real estate business. He founded Boston Properties in 1970, and went on to make a fortune, now estimated at about $2 billion, in New York commercial real estate. In addition to the Daily News, Zuckerman also owns US News and World Report, and previously owned the Atlantic Monthly.(1)
Mort Zuckerman has been active in Jewish and Zionist causes for many years, and served as Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations from 2001 to 2003. He is a frequent participant in the McLaughlin Group, a Saturday night gabfest carried on many public TV stations.
Although he holds liberal views on social issues, he may seek the Republican nomination for Senator or perhaps run as an independent. Either way, he has an excellent chance of success, and here is why:
Financial Expertise: The economy is the big issue today, and Mort Zuckerman has proved he knows financial markets. On the McLaughlin Group in January, 2008, he accurately forecast the crisis that exploded about eight months later. (2) Zuckerman says now that the stimulus was not big enough.
So, even if he runs as a Republican, he will not follow GOP leadership in the Senate on economic issues, and he will not tolerate fillibusters. Instead, he would be a voice for compromise between the parties to reduce the deficit, which Zuckerman sees as the most serious problem facing the nation.
Adequate Funding. If nobody gives Zuckerman a dime for his campaign, he can easily pay for a powerful one out of his own wealth. If Mike Bloomberg can do it, so can Mort. New Yorkers don't seem to mind.
Endorsements: Zuckerman owns the Daily News, and the New York Post has already supported his candidacy. US News and World Report will probably look kindly upon him, too.
Weak Incumbent: Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to the Senate less than a year ago to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (3) She has not had enough time to make a significant record in the Senate. This will be her first race for statewide office.
Although the Democratic nomination is usually a big plus in New York, in 2010 she will be dragged down by association with President Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership. Obama carried New York easily in 2008, but he has squandered much of his political capital in the state by pressuring Israel about settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem. I do not believe that Senator Gillibrand will dare to break with Obama on this issue, since she needs the support of the national Democratic Party. The President's party usually loses seats in the mid-term congressional elections, and this could well be one of them.
The Jewish Factor: The Jewish vote is crucial to winning statewide races in New York, and Mort Zuckerman is perfectly positioned to take the lion's share, especially if he plays the Israel card effectively. President Obama's support for the Palestinian cause will hurt Democrats everywhere in 2o10, but nowhere more than in New York State.
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(1) Wikipedia
(2) The Glazerbeam advisory to sell all stocks ("Maxed Out", January 20, 2008) was based upon Zuckerman's prediction. The DJIA was over 12,000 then. Was he right or was he right?
(3) The last appointed senator from New York was Republican Charles Goodell, who had been picked by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller to complete the term of assassinated Senator Robert F Kennedy in 1968. He lost in 1970 to Conservative Party nominee James L Buckley.
NY Times, Feb. 12, 2010
If Zuckerman decides to run, he will become the real-life " avatar" of the fictional Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy newspaper owner who runs for governor in the film classic Citizen Kane. The film was loosely based upon the career of another real-life newspaper tycoon with political ambitions: William Randolph Hearst. ( So life imitates art, which in turn, imitates life.)
Although Zuckerman is now a US citizen, he was born in Quebec, Canada, in 1937. He earned his bachelor's degree at McGill University in 1957 and an MBA at Wharton in 1961. After teaching at Harvard and Yale Business Schools, he went into the real estate business. He founded Boston Properties in 1970, and went on to make a fortune, now estimated at about $2 billion, in New York commercial real estate. In addition to the Daily News, Zuckerman also owns US News and World Report, and previously owned the Atlantic Monthly.(1)
Mort Zuckerman has been active in Jewish and Zionist causes for many years, and served as Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations from 2001 to 2003. He is a frequent participant in the McLaughlin Group, a Saturday night gabfest carried on many public TV stations.
Although he holds liberal views on social issues, he may seek the Republican nomination for Senator or perhaps run as an independent. Either way, he has an excellent chance of success, and here is why:
Financial Expertise: The economy is the big issue today, and Mort Zuckerman has proved he knows financial markets. On the McLaughlin Group in January, 2008, he accurately forecast the crisis that exploded about eight months later. (2) Zuckerman says now that the stimulus was not big enough.
So, even if he runs as a Republican, he will not follow GOP leadership in the Senate on economic issues, and he will not tolerate fillibusters. Instead, he would be a voice for compromise between the parties to reduce the deficit, which Zuckerman sees as the most serious problem facing the nation.
Adequate Funding. If nobody gives Zuckerman a dime for his campaign, he can easily pay for a powerful one out of his own wealth. If Mike Bloomberg can do it, so can Mort. New Yorkers don't seem to mind.
Endorsements: Zuckerman owns the Daily News, and the New York Post has already supported his candidacy. US News and World Report will probably look kindly upon him, too.
Weak Incumbent: Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to the Senate less than a year ago to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (3) She has not had enough time to make a significant record in the Senate. This will be her first race for statewide office.
Although the Democratic nomination is usually a big plus in New York, in 2010 she will be dragged down by association with President Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership. Obama carried New York easily in 2008, but he has squandered much of his political capital in the state by pressuring Israel about settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem. I do not believe that Senator Gillibrand will dare to break with Obama on this issue, since she needs the support of the national Democratic Party. The President's party usually loses seats in the mid-term congressional elections, and this could well be one of them.
The Jewish Factor: The Jewish vote is crucial to winning statewide races in New York, and Mort Zuckerman is perfectly positioned to take the lion's share, especially if he plays the Israel card effectively. President Obama's support for the Palestinian cause will hurt Democrats everywhere in 2o10, but nowhere more than in New York State.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Wikipedia
(2) The Glazerbeam advisory to sell all stocks ("Maxed Out", January 20, 2008) was based upon Zuckerman's prediction. The DJIA was over 12,000 then. Was he right or was he right?
(3) The last appointed senator from New York was Republican Charles Goodell, who had been picked by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller to complete the term of assassinated Senator Robert F Kennedy in 1968. He lost in 1970 to Conservative Party nominee James L Buckley.
Labels: New York, senate, Zuckeraman
posted by Gerald S Glazer at 10:07 AM
2 Comments:
If he thinks that the stimulus has been too small he will never get the Republican nomination. Opposition to the stimulus is one of the Republican's main points in all of the races they have won, e.g. Scott Brown, since Obama was elected.
Also, outside of NYC, being Jewish in NY state is not an advantage.
Being rich is also now not such a great advantage as it used to be because of the recent Supreme Court ruling that unions and companies can campaign.
It used to be that a rich person like Bloomberg, Kennedys, Kerry, Rockefellers, Heinz, etc or Kohl in WI could buy an election from a non-rich opponent; but now this is blunted as they will now have competition from companies and unions.
The playing field has now been leveled and the rich cannot buy elections as easily as they used to.
Agreed. A very well-regarded pragmatic centrist and a favorite among Jews. In this political environment he has a good chance of winning the Republican nomination, especially after his scathing criticism of the Obama administration (he supported Obama). See his column here:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-19/hes-done-everything-wrong/
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