By Frank Quinn
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio sat down for an hour-long visit with WestView News just days before dropping his bid for Congress. The discussion covered a wide range of subjects including his eight years in office, his desire for progressive change, and how he might assist the effort to replace St. Vincent’s Hospital.
FORMER MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO and WestView News Publisher George Capsis. Photo Credit: Dusty Berke.
Dr. Alec Pruchnicki, a specialist in geriatric medicine and WVN contributor, asked how government might offer improved healthcare services. Mr. de Blasio was eager to offer encouragement, but didn’t volunteer suggestions for how to pay for expanded government healthcare.
When evaluating his mayoralty, he willingly discussed the failures of his administration, but didn’t identify actionable solutions. He seemed sincere when concluding his administration did not achieve its ambitions, but would not offer concrete examples or suggested remedies.
The former mayor said he thought hoping for restoring a full-fledged hospital to replace St. Vincent’s was unrealistic, but did express optimism for new treatment-specific facilities. Considering the idea of a cardiac catheterization lab in lower Manhattan to treat heart attack patients in need of imminent care, he expressed interest in helping coordinate serious discussions with medical institutions and local philanthropists.
Mr. de Blasio is proud of his decision to decline requesting the National Guard to restore order during the 2020 unrest in the city. Facing considerable pressure, he remained steadfast in his position, and when asked for insight offered, “If one National Guard member made a mistake it could have been the spark that ignited something unstoppable.”
