What’s old is new again

City Council candidate Brad Lander’s “Der Blaat” imbroglio may have an eerie parallel with the controversial cartoon that emerged before the 2001 Mark Green-Fernando Ferrer mayoral runoff. The cartoon, which circulated on flyers scattered around southern Brooklyn, showed Ferrer kissing the rump of an obese Al Sharpton, a polarizing ploy meant to galvanize Jewish voters. Like Green did eight years ago, Lander has stridently denied any involvement with the article, which encouraged its Orthodox readers to vote for Lander, who it states, “strongly opposes various types of abominations and immoral laws,” a biblical reference to homosexuals. “What we do know is that one of the masterminds of that tactic was John Kest of the Working Families Party, who is now coordinating the party’s efforts — including Bill de Blasio campaign and Lander’s,” said one keen insider. Back in 2001, Kest was the Green campaign’s field director. “I’ve watched amused while de Blasio has deployed surrogate after surrogate against Green on the issue of the Sharpton/Ferrer cartoon,” the person quipped. “Strangely enough,” the source continued, “Lander gets his Mark Green moment.”

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Lander’s chances looking better

With five candidates in the mix, political insiders know that the fight for Park Slope’s coveted 39th District will undoubtedly be won by just a few hundred votes, thanks to the low voter turn out expected on September 15.

They also know that in these cases the support of a certain “Gray Lady” could make all the difference – support that candidate Brad Lander received last week.

The New York Times endorsed Lander on September 4 – the day the Der Blaat flap was reported in this newspaper -- claiming that the candidate stands above challengers Josh Skaller, Bob Zuckerman, John Heyer and Gary Reilly because of his “stronger history of working with the diverse issues the council addresses.”

“As the former director of the Pratt Center for Community Development and longtime director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, Mr. Lander has worked for affordable housing and for more jobs, parks, mass transit and other community needs,” they wrote.

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Fidler: No love for de Blasio

While Bill de Blasio may be the borough’s favorite son in the public advocate race, he’s not getting much love from his City Council colleague, Lew Fidler.

De Blasio and Fidler battled a few years ago for the Council Speaker seat now held by Christine Quinn and Fidler still has a bad taste in his mouth over how that incident played out.

“In 2005, when he was running for speaker, he took the clearest position that he would extend term limits legislatively and it is in the transcripts,” said Fidler.

Fidler said then he wanted to run against Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz so he went against term limits.

“This guy is a career consummate political hack,” said Fidler.

That said, Fidler thinks de Blasio has a shot at winning the advocate race.

“De Blasio’s strategy is to finish second and have a runoff against [Mark] Green and that will be very competitive,” said Fidler. “The Working Families Party will throw everything they can to elect Bill. He’s their mascot.”

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When underdogs attack

Marc D’Ottavio, a Republican running for borough president, opened fire on Marty Markowitz at a candidates’ night in Sheepshead Bay last week.

With Mayor Michael Bloomberg pursuing a third term, the beep decided to stay put at Borough Hall instead of setting his sights on Gracie Mansion, D’Ottavio accused.

“Marty Markowitz was afraid to run for mayor,” the hopeful said.

Markowitz’s campaign office countered, “Marty is thrilled to have an opportunity to run for reelection.”

D’Ottavio says he has the public speaking and maneuvering skills vital to a politician’s career. After all, “The last 20 years of my life, I’ve been a car salesman.”

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An angel on his shoulder

Longshot Republican challenger Gene Berardelli has picked up some extra muscle in his bid to unseat incumbent Lew Fidler in the New York City Council.

Guardian Angel founder and radio personality Curtis Sliwa is endorsing Berardelli’s run - never mind that he doesn’t even know the local community activist personally.

You see, Sliwa’s parents still reside in their old Canarsie neighborhood, and according to him, helping to defeat an incumbent who supported overturning term limits despite clear public opposition is a personal mission.

Because of that, Sliwa calls Lew Fidler “a traitor” and says that any other candidate with a similar stance on term limits “should have the mark of political death on them.”

He’s still supporting Michael Bloomberg’s re-election, however.

“Gene is a guy who represents a completely different point of view,” Sliwa said. “He believes in the power of the people.”

Berardelli enjoyed Sliwa’s public endorsement at a $50 per plate breakfast at the Paradise Gardens Restaurant on Emmons Avenue this week and was delighted to have the Guardian Angel’s help.

“It’s so rare in a City Council race to have people of Mr. Sliwa’s national notoriety to take notice, let alone lend support,” Berardelli said. “I’m humbled to have his support.”

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Speaking of Fidler…

Despite not having any challengers in the upcoming Democratic Primary for the 46th City Council District seat, incumbent Lew Fidler said he’ll have workers out in force at polling places handing out campaign information.

“We’re going to be out there at least from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with whatever manpower I have,” said Fidler, explaining he’s not taking his Republican challenger Gene Berardelli for granted.

“We’ll be out there with cards saying you can’t vote for Lew Fidler today, but remember to vote for him in the general election.”

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What happened to Major Owens?

When Representative Yvette Clarke was introduced at a recent health care town hall, she was described by moderator Rennie Bishop as following in the footsteps of a pair of trailblazers: Her mother, Una Clarke, whom she succeeded in the City Council, and former Representative Shirley Chisholm, who represented central Brooklyn from 1969 to 1983, and was the first woman of color elected to Congress.

“So we have ground-breaking where ever we turn,” Bishop noted.

However, between Chisholm, who represented the 12th Congressional District, and Clarke, who represents the redistricted 11th C.D., came Major Owens, who took over from Chisholm and served from 1983 until the end of 2006. Indeed, Owens was in the seat when the district lines were shifted, and the bulk of the 12th C.D. became the 11th C.D.

So, why did Owens’ name not come up?

It may have something to do with bad blood between the Owens and Clarke clans.

In 2000, Una Clarke ran against Owens in the Democratic primary, an event which insiders said at the time had severed relations between Clarke and her one-time mentor. Then, in 2004, in what Owens had said would be his last race for the seat, Yvette Clarke challenged him, two years before she defeated his son, Chris, and several other contenders, in a primary for the then-open seat she had held since 2005.

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Isaac and Vito Butt Heads

City Council candidate Isaac Abraham (33rd District) is still talking about that meeting he had with Assemblymember Vito Lopez (D-Williamsburg) back in April 2008 when he first explored a bid to run for the office.

According to Abraham, Lopez strongly discouraged him from running for City Council to replace David Yassky and instead backed his then-Chief of Staff, Steve Levin, who also had an interest in the race.

“I asked, ‘How old is he?’ and he said 27, and I said, ‘I have children that age,” said Abraham.

Assemblymember Joseph Lentol (D-Greenpoint), who also attended the meeting, had a different recollection of the conversation. According to Lentol spokesperson Amy Cleary, the meeting was more of a meet and greet between Lopez and Abraham over affordable housing issues in South Williamsburg.

“Vito in no way discouraged him to run,” said Cleary. “The race only barely came up.”

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