After Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack killed more than 1,300 people in Israel, including 29 Americans, New Yorkers remembered why they elected Mayor Eric Adams nearly two years ago.
He was the only city official who showed he intuitively understands what’s at stake — able to put into words what the rest of us are thinking and feeling.
But the week also showcased Adams’ deficiencies: He still can’t back his words of leadership with competent execution.
Adams reacted as most New Yorkers did to the rally a coalition of left-wing groups held last Sunday to celebrate the massacre of civilians, including women, children and babies: with disbelieving horror.
“When innocent people are being slaughtered and children kidnapped, it is disgusting that this group of extremists would show support for terrorism,” he tweeted. “Do not use our streets to spread our hate.”
In grieving with New York Jews and others, Adams showed emotion.
“I am devastated, and I am angry,” he said at a Monday vigil. “Nothing can justify pulling innocent children from their homes, murdering them, dragging them through the streets.”
A cynic might note this shouldn’t be that hard: condemning mass murder and appearing to really care in doing so. But other city politicians stumbled.
Comptroller Brad Lander rightly condemned the Democratic Socialists of America for promoting the pro-hate rally — but he didn’t renounce his three-decade-plus membership in this group, as Michigan Rep. Shri Thanedar did.
Plus, Lander immediately followed his tweet of condemnation with a reminder: “I am long on the record calling for an end to the Occupation.”
No, not the right moment to show everyone how virtuously left-wing you are — but a clear sign that, as always, Lander was carefully hedging his bets.
New York’s third citywide elected official, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, produced a statement that read like it was generated by artificial intelligence, complete with lamenting “endless cycles of violence.”
As for the right: Republican City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a supposed rising star, got herself arrested by allegedly violating the terms of her gun permit, carrying and displaying a weapon on school property.
No, this Wild West-ism isn’t what New York needs, either.
Last week, then, was an even more fraught replay of the 2021 election.
Back then, New Yorkers were terrified at the massive rise in violence in their city over the previous two years, led by a record 53% increase in murders.
The assortment of Democrats who vied for the mayoralty from the left of center could barely bring themselves to acknowledge it was a crisis.
And Republicans couldn’t muster a credible candidate.
Only Adams told us, over and over, the rise in violence was unacceptable and part of the answer had to be a return to proactive policing. Which is why he won.
In office, Adams’ governance has been underwhelming. Yes, murders are down but still one-quarter above 2019 levels. Overall felonies remain way up, one-third above 2019 levels.
Adams has demonstrated, once again, that using broken-windows policing in targeted violent, gang-plagued neighborhoods yields real results.
But he has proposed no strategy for replenishing the police department’s depleted ranks to expand this strategy.
The mayor’s chaotic management style was also on display last week in the actual governing response to the Israel attack.
Thursday night, the mayor tried to reassure New Yorkers the city would keep them safe on Friday’s global-jihad day.
But Adams’ words were overshadowed by a weird distraction: Where was the police commissioner, Edward Caban, during this week of crisis?
Oh, in Qatar, on an unannounced junket (no, he wasn’t looking for Hamas leaders).
It’s a habit of the mayor’s top officials to take elaborate overseas trips in a time of supposed budget crisis — a habit that extends to the mayor himself, with his pointless tour south of the border this month.
Can New York do better than Adams, in day-to-day governance and long-term strategy — or, at least, use the credible threat of a centrist challenger to prod the mayor to do better?
Or does the fear of poisonous left-wing ideology and right-wing clownery mean we’re stuck with Adams?
Last week was a reminder of why voters picked Adams in the first place — and a reminder, too, that no new good choices have emerged since then.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor to the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal.