Category Archives: de Blasio Transition

de Blasio Press Q&A: The Pre-K Campaign Edition



Today Bill de Blasio announced plans for an organized campaign to push for his pre-K/after-school program initiative.  The campaign includes a mix of business, entertainment and political leaders and about 25 advocacy groups.

Following statements by de Blasio and several others, de Blasio answered questions from the press.  Topics include what the groups involved in the campaign will do, Chirlane McCray’s role in the campaign, details around the pre-K program and the status of de Blasio’s search for a schools chancellor.  Here is the full press Q&A.

de Blasio Press Q&A – Shorris Appointment



Today Bill de Blasio announced the first appointments for his administration.  Anthony Shorris will be first deputy mayor, Dominic Williams will be chief of staff to Shorris and Emma Wolfe will be Director of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Following statements by de Blasio, Shorris, Williams and Wolfe, de Blasio answered questions from the press.  Topics included the role of de Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, in making these appointments, the anticipated structure of de Blasio’s administration and whether all commissioners will report to Shorris, de Blasio’s strategy for seeking Albany approval of his proposed tax increase to fund pre-K programs and Anthony Shorris’s part-time consulting work during a prior stint as a full time city employee.

Here is the complete press Q&A.

de Blasio Q&A



This afternoon Bill de Blasio held a press conference to announce a working group intended to implement his plan for universal pre-K education.  Following his presentation, he took questions from the press.  Full video of his press Q&A follows:

Where the Wild Things Are:  Immediately before his press conference, de Blasio read Where the Wild Things Are to a pre-K class.  Video of his reading tour de force is here.

Wild Thing, Wild Rumpus: A Day in the de Blasio Transition



“Let the wild rumpus start!” said the mayor-elect today.

As part of his rollout of a campaign to develop his pre-K plan, Bill de Blasio read Where the Wild Things Are to a pre-K class at the Northside Center for Child Development this afternoon.  It was a good reading; engaged with his audience, a few jokes for the press, a great story with a couple of easy metaphors and some memorable lines like “wild rumpus”.

Update – press Q&A:

de Blasio held a press conference immediately after this reading.  Video of his press Q&A is available here.

de Blasio Press Conference



Bill de Blasio held a press conference this afternoon in City Hall Park, following his meeting with the New York State Assembly Democratic conference to discuss his pre-K/middle school proposal.  According to de Blasio, his plan was “very warmly received” by the Assembly Democrats.  With his soon-to-be office behind him, de Blasio answered questions on other topics, including his expected administration appointments, the Metro North train crash and Mayor Bloomberg’s reaction and his family’s decision on living in Gracie Mansion.  Here is full video of the press conference.