ERIC ADAMS ENTERS OFFICE AS NEW YORK CITY MAYOR:
Eric Adams was sworn into office as mayor of New York City in a Times Square ceremony just after midnight Saturday.
The Democrat faces steep challenges early in his tenure as the nation’s largest city grapples with rising crime rates and skyrocketing COVID-19 cases spurred by the omicron variant despite sweeping mandates put in place to damper the spread.
But Mr. Adams’ message to the crowd at Times Square Friday night before being sworn in was one of hope.
“Even in the midst of COVID, in the midst of everything that we’re going through, this is a country where hope and opportunities is always, ever present,” he said according to the Associated Press.
“It’s just great when New York shows the entire country of how we come back,” he said. “We showed the entire globe what we’re made of. We’re unbelievable. This is an unbelievable city and, trust me, we’re ready for a major comeback because this is New York.”
A former New York City police captain, Mr. Adams is viewed as a more moderate alternative to his predecessor Bill de Blasio, also a Democrat, when it comes to fighting crime.
How bad was DeBlasio? ‘Sayonara sucker!’ Andy Cohen gives de Blasio a New Year’s sendoff. “An animated Andy Cohen did not mince words while telling viewers of CNN’s ‘New Year’s Eve Live’ coverage what he thought about former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was replaced by Mayor Eric Adams after the ball dropped. Cohen leaned into the camera and nearly needed to be held back by co-host Anderson Cooper as he unloaded on the ex-mayor — despite Cooper pleading with the Bravo personality not to ‘go on a rant.’”
On the other hand, as Red State notes, “Guess what Adams pledged to keep in place once the votes were counted? That would be de Blasio’s completely ineffective, business-crushing vaccine mandate. In short, no lessons were learned. New York City’s residents, by and large at least, continue to make the same mistakes they’ve been making since Rudy Giuliani left office. If de Blasio was so bad (and he was), why elect someone who agrees with him on 90 percent of everything, with the only exception possibly being policing. And given the penchant for Democrats to run further left once they gain office, I wouldn’t count on Adams keeping his word on that issue either. At some point, you deserve what vote for, and complaining on CNN about the consequences just comes across as cringe and pathetic. Bill de Blasio stunk as mayor. Eric Adams is likely to stink as mayor as well. Maybe actually learn some semblance of a lesson the next time around? Or just get loaded and rant on New Year’s again. I’m sure that’ll accomplish something.”
Related: NYC’s incoming mayor inherits finances soured by the pandemic.