The Point: Eric Adams' snow politics
John Lindsay is inaugurated NYC mayor at City Hall on Jan. 1, 1966. Credit: L.I. News Daily/Don Jacobsen
Snowstorms — whether very serious or fairly weatherable like the one that blanketed the region on Friday — can be make or break moments for local elected officials. That was perhaps most famously true for New York City Mayor John Lindsay, whose administration was unprepared for the big and deadly snowfall of February 1969 that left Queens under drifts for days.
The liberal Republican mayor was booed as a bum across the borough when he tried to tour the scene. But he went on to win another term and his mayoralty has been praised for other attempts to get out among the people, such as walking the streets of Harlem after MLK’s assassination in an attempt to console and quell unrest.
As a new mayor settles in this year, Lindsay provides an interesting comparison. He was physically and somewhat politically similar to the tall, lanky white former mayor Bill de Blasio. Both got some plaudits for trying to address aspects of inequality, and rode racially diverse coalitions to office. But new Mayor Eric Adams might be more likely than his predecessor to follow Lindsay into the city’s streets and cultural events. Adams has already drawn attention for his enjoyment of Manhattan nightlife and freewheeling appearances from subway to hospital to precinct.
For more footage of a mayor out in the streets, there is the documentary "Summer of Soul" that hit theaters last year and is now on Hulu.
It features long-buried footage from the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 and includes shots of Lindsay in the crowd and coming up on stage, looking comfortable at the high-energy event despite his neat suit and tie. The MC describes him as "our blue-eyed soul brother" and jokes that they were planning to sing "He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands" together.
Lindsay, eyes practically twinkling at the chance to win over some voters to his carefully constructed political coalition, says the event is a "glorious festival" in "this great community" of Harlem.
Mark Chiusano is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
