They might want to settle this in the playground.
Mayor Bloomberg and United Federation of Teachers chief Michael Mulgrew got in a tit-for-tat over whose endorsement was worth less in the race for mayor yesterday.
“It’s almost the kiss of death,” a chuckling Bloomberg said during a question-and-answer session at Department of Education headquarters.
“The last time the UFT’s endorsement got somebody elected was better than two decades ago,” he went on.
“I don’t know what goes through voters’ minds, but maybe they understand — if the UFT wants it, it ain’t good, and you don’t want that person [to be elected].”
Mulgrew later shot back that his powerful union had backed “dozens” of successful candidates in local and citywide elections in recent years.
While teachers don’t necessarily vote as a bloc, the union can put considerable manpower into rustling up votes for its preferred candidate.
“Most candidates would rather be the victim of zombie attack than get a Michael Bloomberg endorsement,” Mulgrew zinged.
Bloomberg’s dig followed a string of jabs he threw at the union during a presentation on high school graduation rates.
The last mayor elected with UFT support was Democrat Democrat David Dinkins — in 1989.