The first televised salvo of the New York mayoral race shows Christine Quinn’s disembodied head floating in the archetypal smoke-filled room. “Virtually all [her] decisions were made in rooms just like this,” says the voice-over, though she doesn’t actually smoke. Still, the point is clear enough: The ad, produced by left-wing and union activists under the banner New York City is Not for Sale, “with a specific goal of ensuring mayoral candidate Quinn is not elected,” claims the Democratic frontrunner doesn’t actually support progressive values and that she makes decisions in private to undermine their causes. According to the New York Times, the group isn’t supporting any particular candidate, but, “the organizers have pledged more than $1 million to the campaign and are spending $250,000 for the initial television advertising.” It will run on cable stations such as MSNBC and Bravo for the next three weeks.
For the record, Quinn said in 2011, “the fact that the adult smoking rate is the lowest it’s been since 2002 means that lives are being saved, our air is cleaner and New Yorkers are healthier.” So she’s probably not spending much time in rooms literally filled with smoke.
