Even with the corruption clouds that hover above him, the dismal poll numbers and the dwindling campaign dollars, Mayor Adams, who is waging an uphill battle for re-election, could still walk away a winner.
The key phrase there is “walk away.”
According to reports, Adams, the charismatic mayor of the nation’s largest city is considering doing just that, walking away from the position he spent his whole life trying to achieve.
“Serving New Yorkers as their mayor is the only job I’ve ever wanted. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made lowering crime, improving schools, building housing, and cutting costs for working families — and I remain the best person to lead this city forward,” Adams said in a statement.
“While I will always listen if called to serve our country, no formal offers have been made. I am still running for reelection, and my full focus is on the safety and quality of life of every New Yorker.”
The “serve our country” line was a reference to rumors that President Trump might offer Adams a job in his administration to get him out of the mayor’s race and clear the field for a single candidate to challenge the Democratic front runner, Zohran Mamdani in November’s general election.
The job Trump is reportedly dangling in front of Adams? Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
And, if you don’t think Adams and the Middle East oil producing nation are a match made in political heaven, consider the alternative.
Ambassador to Federal Prison.
This time a year ago, Adams was facing conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud charges after becoming the first sitting mayor to become a criminal defendant.
That was before Trump’s Justice Department swooped in five months ago and officially dropped the charges.
Trump appears to be jumping in again, offering the mayor another option in the face of Adams’ lagging independent campaign.
But Trump, as always, no doubt has an ulterior motive. He doesn’t like Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, so he’s trying to position former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running as an independent, as Mamdani’s only opponent.
The lesser of two evils.
He wants Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa out, too.
“I don’t think you can win unless you have one on one,” Trump told reporters before a White House dinner last week.
He also stressed his opposition to Mamdani
“I’d prefer not to have a communist mayor of New York City,” Trump said in a dig at Mamdani. “And, you know, that’s what he is based on his policy. If you look at his statements in the past.”
All three of Mamdani’s challengers, including Adams, insisted that they were staying in the race, though Adams, who shares a constituency with Cuomo — in some of his comments — appears to be softening. At the same time, he called a last-minute press conference at Gracie Mansion Friday and declared he was staying in and the only candidate who could beat Mamdani.
Cuomo, meanwhile, posted a picture on social media of a breakfast meeting he had with the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has yet to make an endorsement.
If Adams is considering trading New York City for Saudi Arabia, no one should blame him for making that decision.
That’s not to say that Adams should bow out. But if he did, he should feel no shame about it.
Adams, against all odds, got to be mayor of New York City. And, although he is having trouble shaking the scandals, there were accomplishments along the way for which he should be proud.
Unlike Cuomo, who resigned as governor in disgrace amid COVID nursing home and sexual harassment scandals he denies, Adams has the opportunity to finish his term with his head held high.
Adams, who likes to compare himself to New York City’s first Black mayor, David Dinkins, has another opportunity.
After retiring from the NYPD as a captain, Adams appeared on the ballot in campaigns for state Senate, Brooklyn Borough President and mayor.
He can retire undefeated.
Even Dinkins couldn’t say that.
