Chad Marlow

Christine Quinn: New York’s First Red-Headed Speaker

This week, the New York City Council elected Christine Quinn to serve as its new Speaker. Not surprisingly, the press (over-)emphasized, the historic relevance of the moment. Yes, Speaker Quinn is a woman and a lesbian, and these traits do make her a trailblazer. As she noted herself in her acceptance speech, that fact that in New York these traits may have been a benefit to her and not a hindrance is something to celebrate unto itself.

That being said, I think the focus on Speaker Quinn's gender and sexual orientation has somewhat taken away from a focus on her equally if not more important traits that will make her a superb Speaker. Speaker Quinn is one of those rare leaders who is loyal to her friends but, at the same time, very forgiving of her political opponents (many of whom, myself included, later move into the former category). Our new Speaker is progressive to her core. She will go to the mat repeatedly for those among us who are struggling, as that is her greatest political motivation. She is a faithful and tireless supporter of the labor movement, of struggling middle-class New Yorkers, and of New Yorkers who are striving to join the middle class.

I will never forget when a few years ago the Mayor sought to close the City's budget deficit by shutting down two senior centers in Greenwich Village. Councilwoman Quinn understood that closing those centers would not only deprive local seniors of low-cost lunches and a place within their limited walking distance to gather with other seniors and friends, it would also leave them with no place to go everyday; they would become virtual prisoners in their own homes. As the President of the Village Independent Democrats at that time, I saw Councilwoman Quinn at her best. In what was ultimately a combined feat of political savvy and shear force of will, Councilwoman Quinn essentially told the Mayor, "you're not closing these two senior centers. Not on my watch!" While many of us were fighting to save those centers, I think we all recognize that our success was attributable primarily if not exclusively to Speaker Quinn's involvement. To be honest, i'm still not entirely sure how she pulled it off; what I do know is that she saved those centers.

As the above antidote reflects, the trait I admire the most about our new Speaker is her passion. Don't be misled by Christine Quinn's political adeptness: she is anything but a slick politician. When Speaker Quinn cares about an issue, she will fight for it with near wild abandon - and if that paints her in a bad light sometimes, she doesn't seem to care, because she is not in politics for herself. As someone who has known the Speaker for many years and followed politics for far longer than that, I have grown to appreciate her as a breath of fresh air in a political climate that is too often stifling.

For progressive New Yorkers who care about the direction this City goes in over the next several years, we need to stand strongly behind our new female, lesbian, red-headed, Irish, likes-dogs-more-than-cats, and most of all passionately progressive Speaker. If we do, our collective future may be brighter than it has been for some time.

Chad Marlow: Author Bio | Other Posts
Posted at 3:18 PM, Jan 06, 2006 in New York | Progressives
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