Wealthy Manhattan lawyer Bruce Blakeman is taking his jokey campaign ads seriously.
On Wednesday, the new mayoral candidate will release a colorful, self-financed TV ad campaign, which includes his dog saying through special effects, “I'm Bruce Blakeman's dog and I approve this message.”
Another ad says that Blakeman was a “busboy, dishwasher, bartender, garbage man, janitor, bouncer, teacher, lawyer, councilman, legislator, commissioner and businessman.”
Yet another, in a queerly somber note, features footage of 9/11 and says that Blakeman would continue levels of security achieved under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“Post-9/11, Mike Bloomberg led the City through its most difficult times with unique management skills. Bruce Blakeman has been a leader all his life,” says the ad.
Blakeman says he made up his mind to campaign in just the last couple of weeks, after talking with business and political leaders. He's registered with the Board of Elections and says he will run as a Republican against billionaire John Catsimatidis in the primary next year.
Unlike Catsimatidis, Blakeman says he will eventually raise money from donors.
Blakeman lived on Long Island until 2000, but now says he lives in Manhattan.
He served as the presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, ran unsuccessfully for state comptroller in 1998 and was appointed to the Port Authority by Governor George Pataki.
Blakeman appeared in tabloids when it was reported his estranged wife was having an affair with Paul McCartney.
Bloomberg's flirtation with extending term limits could end up putting a number of mayoral bids on hold. But political consultants say Blakeman, with zero name recognition, needs to start advertising now, even if his strategy is a bit unorthodox.
“I can't say I love these ads. I'm not sure they're going to get him where he want to go. People are going to talk about them but I'm not sure that this is a positive,” said political consultant Mike McKeon.
Only time will tell whether Blakeman’s campaign will go to the dogs.