MALLIO-WHO? MALLIO-WHOO!
'Little-known' Blas rival star of SI's July 4 parade
Presumptive GOP mayoral nominee Nicole Malliotakis was the big draw Tuesday at Staten Island’s Fourth of July parade — drawing selfie-seekers and well-wishes even from residents who said they don’t know much about the borough’s state Assembly member.
Mayor de Blasio went in for an awkward embrace when the two crossed paths before the 107th annual parade in Travis, and he got a few pats on the arm and a handshake in return.
Paradegoers were more enthusiastic.
“The only thing I know about her is she has a Cuban background, and I would love to see someone Hispanic take office,” said Angel Ortiz, 51.
While a number of residents
acknowledged they had an anyone-but-de Blasio stance toward the coming fall election, others gave Malliotakis the nod largely because of her ties to the “forgotten” borough.
“She shook my hand and told me that Staten Island is very important to her — so that’s already a step up from our mayor now,” said Lauren Colandro, 29.
Borough President James Oddo, a Republican who has had a good working relationship with the mayor, gave de Blasio credit for coming into what can be unfriendly territory for a Democrat.
It was the only one of the five boroughs that went to Donald Trump in 2016 and the only one de Blasio lost when he was elected to City Hall in 2013.
“I think it’s important that the mayor show up. He represents five boroughs. I think it’s smart for him, even if he takes a few lumps and a few criticisms. The fact that he shows up, I think, wins some begrudging admiration,” Oddo told The Post. “But if not any, it’s still the right thing to do.”
Hizzoner, waving an American flag throughout the march, was met with a smattering of boos along the parade route — but he paused to chat with locals a number of times.
At one point, he and several elected officials stopped long enough to take sips out of red party cups, which they joked contained refreshing orange juice perfect for a hot summer day.
When a Post reporter asked the man who supplied the cups whether the foamy substance inside had, in fact, been beer, he responded, “Shhh!”
The mayor finished the route chatting with firefighters for 20 minutes inside Oceanic Hook and Ladder Co. No 1.
“Travis is a beautiful, small town in the middle of a borough of a half-million people in the middle of the largest city in the United States of America,” the mayor had said before cutting a ribbon to launch the start of the parade.
“Travis has kept up the very best traditions of this nation. It’s a place, if you come here, you feel what’s great about America this and every day.”