News article about recovery and commemoration, Sept 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Gri^e Today, Mayor Says, And Then Grasp Tomorrow By JENNIFER STEINHAUER Like mourners who mark the first — who wmild be noticed by just abtwt anniversary of a loved one’s death by any American on any park bench laying a stone at the grave. New anywhere, if not by Ws face, then by Yorkers should take this day to re- his enormous security detail — will fleet on their collective loss, and then be remembered as the man who led turn from grief to the future. Mayor the city though its darkest moments Michael R. Bloomberg said the other last year, it is Mr. Bloomberg who is day. trying to set the tone for recovery. “What I’m trying to do,” he said In some ways, Mr. Bloomberg, about today’s com- ------------- who has served as die S^°‘Ts’°Siat'^in^OK PBRSPECTIVES post-9/11 mayor al­ most three times as srsTriiSJ *sss;sx long as Mr. Giuliani did, has a moire daunt- whothey were and why ----------------------------- ing task than Mr. Giuli- they died. And in the evening, come ani, who mijoyed almost unanimous out of it looking forward and say support from a battered constltuen- •O.K., we’re going to go forward.’ ” cy right after the attack last year. Although Mr. Bloomberg said he Mr. Bloomberg, in contrast, finds understood that for some prople pain himself trying to balance die con- and grief were unending, he suggest- fileting demands of Lower Manhat- ed that what might be best now was tan residents, struggling businesses to inaugurate an era in which the and members of victims’ families, attack cm the World Trade Center especially a small but vocal group was a thing of the past, rather than a that has accused him of being insen- preoccupation of the present. sitlve to their grief. To compUcate “My job in the end is to balance matters, he is faced with a $5 billion that,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “The me- budget gap. morializing with getting people to Heisnottheheromayorof Sept. 11, lookahead. And most people who live nor does he seem to want to be; Mr. in New York City want that I am Bloomberg tucked into bis answers to sure there are some family mem- many questions a reference to his pet bers that say ‘No, no, 1 lost my loved project improving the city’s public one and I don’t ever want anytiody to schools. “I think that the most impor- look ahead,’ but that’s not what most tant thing for this city is to do the best people want and that’s not what I am job we can to improve the public here to do.” {Excerpts, Page AIS.} During a 45-nainute interview on a bench in Battery Park last week, Mr. Bloomberg watched as tourists am­ bled by in search of hot-dog vendors, ticket booths and tour boat opera­ tors, seemingly oblivious to him. While Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani

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