This past week, the Wall Street Journal had a high profile article on New York City’s Comptroller, John Liu. Last year, Liu became New York City’s first citywide elected Asian American. His past first year has had its up’s and down’s:
Naked ambition — a blessing or a curse, depending on the observer and the situation—has dominated every aspect of Mr. Liu’s near decade in New York public life. His tenure as the city’s 43rd comptroller has seen plenty of ups and downs. Early on, he was embarrassed when word leaked that his staff had been ordered to address him as “Mr. Comptroller” and stand when he entered a room. Most recently, he’s won plaudits for sounding the alarm on the city’s long-delayed computerized payroll system, known as CityTime, a project that made headlines this month when federal prosecutors accused six people of stealing $80 million
Liu also has mayoral ambitions, but isn’t sure if he will run in 2013 or run for re-election for comptroller. He’d love to be President, but he was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the U.S. when he was five. So unless the the U.S. constitution changes in the near future, he won’t be taking the oath of office anytime soon.
Wouldn’t it be something if in 2013, the mayor of San Francisco and mayor of New York City were both Taiwanese Americans?
- Excited
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Disgusted
- Sad
- Angry
