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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: BEEF JERKEY who wrote (706526)	10/8/2005 11:34:06 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

Former Council Speaker, a Democrat, Backs Mayor By WINNIE HU Peter F. Vallone, the former City Council speaker, yesterday joined a growing number of prominent Democrats who have crossed party lines to endorse Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for re-election. Mr. Vallone and his son, City Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr., announced their support for the mayor while having coffee with him at Mike's Diner in Astoria, Queens. The Vallones had endorsed Gifford Miller, the City Council speaker, in last month's Democratic primary. The elder Mr. Vallone said that he had worked with three mayors - Rudolph W. Giuliani, David N. Dinkins, and Edward I. Koch - but only Mr. Bloomberg had managed to wrest control of the city's public schools from state leaders in Albany. "Government is a learning experience, and this mayor has learned extremely well," he said. Mr. Vallone also said that while he had "no problems" with Fernando Ferrer, the Democratic nominee, he saw no reason for a new mayor when the city already had a good one. Mr. Bloomberg said he was honored to have the support of both Vallones. "You know Massachusetts has the Kennedys, Texas has the Bushes, and, well, Queens has the Vallones," Mr. Bloomberg said. Drizzling rain did not stop Mr. Bloomberg from campaigning yesterday in Queens and Brooklyn. He marched in Columbus Day parades in Astoria and New Utrecht, Brooklyn, and attended a Greek festival in Bayside, Queens. The rain did, however, derail Mr. Ferrer's plans to court voters in minority-heavy sections of Manhattan and the Bronx. Mr. Bloomberg also appeared with Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly at a news conference, where he defended the city's response to a terror threat against its subways. He suggested that the F.B.I. and New York officials were taking similar approaches while the Department of Homeland Security was being overly cautious. "There doesn't seem to be a difference between Washington and New York; I think there seems to be a difference in Washington," Mr. Bloomberg said. Russ Knocke, press secretary for Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security secretary, had initially played down the report that caused alarm in New York, calling the threat "specific but noncredible." But yesterday, Mr. Knocke issued a statement that Mr. Chertoff "believes that the security precautions being taken by Mayor Bloomberg and other New York officials are absolutely an appropriate response while this and other intelligence information continues to be examined and analyzed." Fernanda Santos contributed reporting for this article.