Following Weeks of Attacks, Quinn Challenges Opponents' Records

Leading Democrat in New York City's mayoral race Christine Quinn gave a speech in Harlem this morning at the East Harlem Center for Asthma to talk about her accomplishments as City Council speaker and outlined her future goals as mayor. Quinn used the recent debates over the controversial installment of a waste transfer station on the Upper East Side to create a larger talking point about what it means to be a leader. 

 

She discussed the history of the transfer station debacle and how lawsuits from the neighborhood have kept the project on hold. She said her undying support for the project "meant facing protesters on the Upper East Side, it meant getting booed at the 92nd Street Y." Ultimately, Quinn called the blowback "the price of leadership." 

 

The speaker stressed the imporance of completing the project -- even if it means losing a few votes.

 

She also challenged her opponents' records as city politicians. 

 

"Like me, my opponents have spent many years in public office," Quinn said during her speech Monday. "But when you look at their records, there's a great big hole where results should be. You may not agree with everything that I've done, but there's never been a time in my career when I wasn't getting results for New York." 

 

Soon after Quinn finished countering her opponents' attacks, a wave of jabs flowed her way. Democratic challenger Sal Albanese declared Quinn's record: "nothing to write home about." Campaign Manager for Bill de Blasio (also a Democrat) said Quinn's only accomplishment is giving Bloomberg a third term.