"Police brutality is an important issue," says New York Urban League president Dennis Walcott, "but it's important to remember that the city's education system is killing a lot more children than the police. Education should be the No. 1 issue in the city now. And what the mayor can do is develop a master plan for public education and talk about how we as a city can come together around this issue."

But how long he can keep his attention focused on the city may depend on what kinds of plans he has for the future. A run for the Senate will begin to require more and more of his time and energy by the end of the year -- particularly if it's a competitive battle with Hillary Clinton.

There are still people, however, who doubt that he'll even make a Senate run. "I know for a fact," says a key member of Pataki's staff, "that he's had a number of conversations with people saying he wants to be governor."

His staff is fond of saying he's not a politician, and the mayor himself often says he isn't interested in changing to make himself more popular. "He's not some poll-obsessed Bill Clinton," one of his chief aides says, "ready to go whichever way he thinks public opinion is blowing."

Though an argument can be made that everyone's sick to death of politicians who spend more time spinning than working on the people's business, the mayor's failure to recognize the importance of positioning himself -- and of good public relations generally -- has cost him dearly. Remember, he came to power as a reformer, an activist who pledged to shake up and dismantle the lethargic, apathetic (read: liberal and Democratic) Establishment that he believed was responsible for the city's sorry condition.

But to be a reformer means you have to bring the public along. You have to move public opinion. To gain support for radical ideas, you have to explain them, sell them, even romance the public with them. Whether it's a baseball stadium on the West Side, pedestrian barricades at the crosswalks, or school vouchers. In other words, you have to be a leader.

Being a leader is more complex than having the guts to risk your popularity by standing up for something you truly believe in. Clearly, Giuliani has to learn there are times when the city needs someone who can reach out, build bridges, and bring people together. Now, for the first time, his future may depend on it.

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Articles by Craig Horowitz
• Table of Contents: Apr 19, 1999 issue of New York | Subscribe!