Bloomberg Vows Not to Criticize the de Blasio Administration

Mr. Bloomberg reportedly told Rupert Murdoch that President Obama was the “most arrogant” man he had ever met (something that Mr. Bloomberg, who endorsed Mr. Obama in 2012, later denied). He wondered why anyone would want to go to Buffalo because of its problems; he later called the mayor to apologize. And, two years after his hand was treated as a Groundhog Day hors d’oeuvre by the city’s most famous groundhog, Staten Island Chuck, the mayor referred to the groundhog using an unkind epithet.

So what, then, might we expect Mr. Bloomberg to say once Bill de Blasio — whose primary bid he had once referred to as “racist” — takes the helm as mayor?

Nada.

Or so he vowed on his Friday morning radio show, when he was asked about the transfer of power to Mr. de Blasio, which will take place on Jan. 1.

“I will not criticize,” he said, during a typically friendly conversation with John Gambling on WOR-AM (710). “These jobs are tough enough without an extra voice criticizing you.”

He added, “The first year in particular, when you’re new, you just don’t need a previous mayor criticizing, or their staffs.”

Mr. Bloomberg suggested that his vow to keep his mouth shut was inspired by his predecessor, Rudolph W. Giuliani. He said that even though some of Mr. Giuliani’s lieutenants “probably said something” negative about the Bloomberg administration, “Rudy never once did.”

He added, “The way he conducted himself after the new administration took over says a lot about his character.”

During the interview, Mr. Bloomberg was also asked about his meeting on Wednesday with Mr. de Blasio at City Hall. He said that Mr. de Blasio did not ask for advice, though he noted that the conversation might have been affected by the fact that there were plenty of reporters watching — if not really hearing, since the two were barely talking above a whisper — the meeting. He expressed confidence that Mr. de Blasio, who he noted was “not a novice” in government, was well-versed in the issues.

And to make things easier, Mr. Bloomberg said that Mr. de Blasio had agreed to allow the Bloomberg administration to plan most of the logistics for the inauguration, including “putting the platforms up and the chairs. Bill can decide who to speak and where he wants to sit people.”

“Everybody says, ‘Oh, it’s going to be a difficult transition,’” Mr. Bloomberg said. “No it isn’t.”

Javier C. Hernández contributed reporting.

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