MUCH SHADOW ABOUT NOTHIN’: Christine Quinn and Staten Island Zoo handlers question Chuck yesterday. (
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She’s already acting like her honor!
In Mayor Bloomberg’s absence, Council Speaker Christine Quinn — who hopes to succeed him at City Hall — performed Groundhog Day duties on Staten Island yesterday.
Quinn — the front-runner in the 2013 Democratic primary for mayor according to recent polls — was the first politician to skittishly embrace Staten Island Chuck.
She brushed off questions about performing ceremonial duties of the mayor.
“Who cares? I’m here, and I’m going to tell what the weather is going to be,” Quinn said before the event at the Staten Island Zoo.
“I think Chuck got a pretty good deal getting to be with me this morning. What more could he want than a cute redhead first thing in the morning? And that’s what he got,” Quinn said.
Quinn also attended a ribbon-cutting on Friday for a new Fairway’s supermarket in Turtle Bay.
Hizzoner usually cuts the ribbons on new developments, sources said.
Sources also said it has not gone unnoticed that Quinn is doing more joint events with Bloomberg than any prior mayor and speaker. The appearances help raise Quinn’s profile.
Noticeably not invited to the annual photo op yesterday were the other Democratic candidates for mayor, including former city Comptroller Bill Thompson, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and city Comptroller John Liu. Nor were the Republican hopefuls — former MTA chairman Joe Lhota, supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, Doe Fund founder George McDonald, Manhattan publisher Tom Allon and former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión.
De Blasio’s camp noted Quinn stepping into the shoes of the mayor, who famously had his hand nibbled by Chuck one year.
“If Christine Quinn were mayor, it would be the last 12 years over and over again,” said a spokesman.
The Staten Island Zoo — which relies on funding from the City Council — insisted it was not playing favorites in the upcoming mayoral races by giving Quinn a prominent role in the festivities.
Zoo spokeswoman Mary Lee Montalvo said Quinn has been invited to the event every year — the same as Bloomberg.
In 2008, she noted, Quinn announced the groundhog results when Bloomberg couldn’t make it.
Other attendees included Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, the leading candidate for city comptroller, and Council Finance Committee Chairman Domenic Recchia of Brooklyn, who is eying a run for Congress.
Thompson declined comment on Quinn’s new duties. But her rivals have said Quinn is Bloomberg’s favorite in the race.