Word is in town that the Board of Elections will convene for an emergency meeting over the weekend to vote on a unprecedented matter that might influence the outcome of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City. In light of Assemblyman Dov Hikind’s surprise endorsement of the two Bills – Bill Thompson and Bill de Blasio – for mayor in the upcoming September 10th primary, the Board of Elections is considering to recall the ballots already printed and modify the candidacy of Bill de Blasio and Bill Thompson as one ticket on the ballot. Since Mr. Hikind’s endorsement is so vital in moving the Orthodox Jewish community’s vote, voters who follow suit will be able to express their desire to vote for the candidate/s that Mr. Hikind firmly believes, will benefit the Orthodox Jewish community.

The question begs, what was Mr. Hikind thinking by making this unprecedented announcement? If the two candidates, close to his heart, are equally qualified for mayor, why wouldn’t he just take the expected step and not endorse any candidate? If already making an endorsement, where is the courage and the honesty of picking a side after making all the calculations for good and for bad? After all, standing alone in the ballot booth behind the curtain, Mr. Hikind will have no choice but to cast one ballot, one vote for the candidate he sees will be the best mayor for all New Yorkers and therefore will prompt his followers to follow suit. Thus, why the frustration?

To understand the difficult choice Mr. Hikind was faced with on a more serious note, the real reason Mr. Hikind went for the easy way out of the tough decision he was about to undergo, has to do with Dov Hikind. The guy that had the conviction and determination to go head to head against Ariel Sharon in 2005 by protesting the disengagement from Gaza/Gush Katif, faltered when it came to decide his choice for the most important job in the City of New York.

As rumors are swirling about Mr. Hikind seeking to retire as Assemblyman before his current term is over, amid recent stories about his misconduct and abuse of taxpayers money and his weakened position as a power broker, the very least that he wants is to end his current position, as representative, with esteem.

While the conventional wisdom is that Bill Thompson is underestimated and is on course of a strong showing in the primaries in order to get into the runoff, Mr. de Blasio’s most recent surge in the polls has put the possibility of the progressive base uniting behind de Blasio’s candidacy, towards a stunning upset in the ballot booth, at a realistic shot.

As insiders were convinced, in 2009, that Mr. Hikind was eyeing a citywide job as Deputy mayor when he endorsed Bill Thompson for mayor, the possibility of accepting a position in the next administration has grown with the resurgence of his two close friends, who stood at his side even during the blackface controversy.

Faced with the unpredictable situation, the dilemma of Mr. Hikind to favor one over the other was real and concerning. Which brought Mr. Hikind to the conclusion that by endorsing both of the Bill’s as his preferred choice for mayor, considering one of the two might pull out a win, his future job is secured and the community, on the other hand, is not beholden to him taking sides and risking of being again on the losing side.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Hikind has been telling his associates that he’s ‘getting tired by the Borough Parker guys finding Kornbluh and Gestetner’s opinion more appealing.” Thereupon, I would urge Dov to take the courage, take the bold step and face the challenge by doing the obvious and wagering the outcome for the benefit of the community.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)