Democratic mayoral candidate Bill Thompson got a nod from two powerful members of the city’s African American political establishment on Monday – but absent from the event were members of the newer generation of leadership.
Thompson was endorsed by Congressman Charles Rangel and former Mayor David Dinkins — half of what was known as the Gang of Four, a group of powerful political leaders from Harlem dating back to 1960s.
"I can't tell you how proud I am today to have the support of these two great, legendary New York leaders," Thompson told a room of reporters and campaign staff at Sylvia's soul food restaurant in Harlem.
But members of the newer generation of African American leadership — one of whom, City Councilwoman Inez Dickens, endorsed Quinn just hours later — weren’t there. The state legislature was in session today.
A spokeswoman for Assemblyman Keith Wright said he knew about the event but would not have attended since Wright also chairs the Manhattan County Democratic committee, which hasn’t given their endorsement yet. A call to State Senator Bill Perkins' office was not returned.
The press conference didn't trade in subtleties. Rangel said Thompson is the right man for the job: "And someone who I don't have to give a course in racism 101."
The issue of racism has come up in debates over the NYPD's use of stop-and-frisk and most recently in a flare-up over a waste transfer station on the Upper East Side. Thompson opposes the facility. His Democratic opponent, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, has said opposition amounts to environmental racism.
Thompson has polled behind Quinn and Anthony Weiner among black voters in the latest Marist poll.