Mayor de Blasio dodges questions on groundhog's death

[brooklynite]

NY Daily News:

Mayor de Blasio was unrepentant Monday about the death of the Staten Island groundhog that fell from his grasp, referring questions on his own feelings on the animal’s passing to the Staten Island Zoo.

De Blasio said he “had no idea” until last week that Chuck - whose traditional role was actually played by a female groundhog named Charlotte - had passed away, but he offered no condolences.

When asked how he felt about upon learning the animal had died a week after he dropped it during a Groundhog Day ceremony, de Blasio said, "I would just refer questions to the Staten Island Zoo. They’re the experts.

When a reporter tried again to ask, the mayor said, “I think I’ve spoken to it. Talk to the Staten Island Zoo.”

If Joe Lhota couldn't survive the kitten story, I don't see how De Blasio comes out looking good...

[Sanity Claws]

1. The NY Daily News is as hard-hitting and newsy as ever

I wonder if the NY Daily News will hold a seance to get Charlotte's spin on things.

[chrisa]

2. Too bad it wasn't an "Air Hog." Would have just floated away.

[MohRokTah]

3. Man, Liberals really like to eat their own.

[Journeyman]

4. So he was asked to hold an animal he was unfamiliar with, one that required he wear heavy gloves...

to handle it properly. Something happened. The animal twisted, the Mayor lost control due to the cumbersome gloves, or maybe the animal's handler passed it to the Mayor in an unsafe manner. Who knows? The Mayor lost control in a situation very foreign to his experience and the animal died, possibly as a result of the fall. Who knows?

Too many unknowns and too many variables for anyone to draw conclusions. As to the Mayor's feelings, maybe he's super pissed that the Zoo put him in that situation in the first place and didn't take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of everyone, Charlotte especially. So rather than vent his anger at the Zoo, the Mayor opts to pass on commenting at all.

I for one don't hold the animal's death against the Mayor. Maybe it will make everyone think twice before putting an animal in a similar situation in the future (including the animals brought on the late night talk shows, and all other instances of using animals in an unsafe manner).

[brooklynite]

5. But it's never the "crime", it's the "coverup".....

[jberryhill]

6. "This excessive concern of yours with this little weasel is a sickness"

[Journeyman]

7. The only "coverup" we should be concerned with is how much dirt was put on top of Charlotte. . .

[markpkessinger]

8. Please tell me you are being facetious with this post . . .

. . . and that you don't seriously believe it was the kitten story that caused Lhota to lose.