The Mailer–Breslin Mayoral Campaign (1969)

A hub gathering the press coverage of Norman Mailer's 1969 run for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York, with Jimmy Breslin for City Council President, on a platform of making New York City the 51st state. The campaign ran from the April announcement to the 17 June primary, where the ticket finished fourth of five. This page collects the contemporaneous coverage (Lennon 69.6–69.79); each item also carries a bibliography row.

The "New York City: The 5th State" Mailer–Breslin campaign poster, 1969

In the spring of 1969 Norman Mailer ran for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York, with the columnist Jimmy Breslin running for President of the City Council, on the signature proposal that New York City secede to become the 51st state, with power radically decentralized to its neighborhoods. The ticket — managed by Joe Flaherty, with Peter Maas among the advisors and a staff including Gloria Steinem and press aide Alice Krakauer — campaigned from the April announcement to the 17 June primary, where it finished fourth of five Democratic candidates (Mario Procaccino won the nomination). Mailer’s manifesto was “Why Are We in New York?” (69.41); the campaign’s documents are collected in Running Against the Machine (69.80), edited by Peter Manso.

This page gathers the contemporaneous press coverage Lennon numbers 69.6–69.79; each item also has a row in the 1969 bibliography. The substantive Mailer-authored pieces of the campaign keep their own Work pages: “Why Are We in New York?” (69.41), the “Letter to the Voting Democrats” (69.70), “Who Is to Declare…” (69.22), and “On Accepting the Pulitzer Prize” (69.26).

Mailer–Breslin campaign buttons, 1969

Origins (April)

69.6 — “Norman Mailer for Mayor?” Village Voice, 3 April. First float of a run, “a hip coalition of the right and the left.” Full text (rights pending): 1969-04-03-norman-mailer-for-mayor.
69.7 — Peter Maas, “The City Politic: Can Mailer and Breslin Put This City Back on Its Feet?” New York, 14 April. An advisor recounts the campaign’s origins. “Jerry, why not make the machine spiritual… make it hum?”
69.10 — Joe Flaherty, “Private Opinion: The Mailer-Breslin Ticket: Vote the Rascals In.” Village Voice, 24 April. The campaign manager’s account (revised in Managing Mailer, 70.7). Full text (rights pending): 1969-04-24-flaherty-vote-the-rascals-in.

Joe Flaherty, "Vote the Rascals In," Village Voice, 24 April 1969

Announcement and the trail (late April – May)

69.8 — Bernard Weinraub, “Mailer Aims to Be Everyman’s Mayor.” New York Times, 17 April.
69.9 — Robert M. Smith, “Mailer and a Member of S.D.S. Seeking Posts on Harvard’s Board of Overseers.” New York Times, 21 April. (Mailer was not elected; see 69.0.)
69.11 — Timothy Lee, “Norman Mailer on the Campaign Trail.” New York Post, 25 April (Wagner College).
69.12 — Don Holloschutz, “Mailer-Breslin: Give City to People.” Washington Square Journal (NYU), 29 April.
69.13 — Nick Browne, “Hibernian Amateur Hour: The Dems Are Doubtful.” Village Voice, 1 May.
69.14 — Judy Michaelson and Edward Katcher, “Mailer-Breslin Typewriters in the Ring Officially Now.” New York Post, 1 May. The official 1 May announcement at the Overseas Press Club.
69.15 — Steve Abel, “Norman Mailer — the Candidate.” Brooklyn Heights Press, 1 May.
69.16 — “Eye Too.” Women’s Wear Daily, 2 May.
69.17 — Richard Reeves, “Mailer and Breslin Enter Race.” New York Times, 2 May.
69.18 — D. M., “Mailer: ‘City Must Get Shit Together.’” Seawanhanka (LIU), 2 May.
69.19 — Alan Adelson, “Mailer For Mayor? The Novelist Insists Campaign Is No Joke.” Wall Street Journal, 2 May.
69.20 — Joseph Modzelewski, “Official! Odd Couple Running.” Daily News, 2 May.
69.21 — Sidney E. Zion, “Mayoralty: Mailer Insists It’s Not Just for Kicks.” New York Times, 4 May.
69.23 — James R. Dickenson, “The Campaign Slogan Is ‘Vote the Rascals In.’” National Observer, 5 May.
69.24 — Jimmy Breslin, “I Run to Win.” New York, 5 May; cover photograph of Mailer and Breslin. The most humorous account of how the ticket was created.
69.25 — Bernard Weinraub, “Mailer the Author Will Donate Prize to Mailer the Politician.” New York Times, 6 May (on the Pulitzer; see 69.26).

Police, press, and rallies (May)

69.27 — Paul Meskil, “Ex-Cop Hater Mailer Talks to Cops.” Daily News, 7 May (John Jay College).
69.28 — Francis X. Clines, “Mailer Campaigns among Police with Good Word for ‘Good Cop.’” New York Times, 7 May.
69.29 — Joe Pilati, “Mailer Hits Press Coverage.” Village Voice, 8 May.
69.30 — AP, “Mailer Pulls Throng in Village.” New York Post, 8 May (Village Gate).
69.31 — Sidney E. Zion, “Mailer Plays a Nightclub Date in Mayoral Quest.” New York Times, 9 May.
69.32 — Bernard Weinraub, “Mailer Says That Alienation Is Major Problem in City.” New York Times, 12 May.
69.33 — “Politics? The Odd Couple.” Newsweek, 12 May.
69.36 — “‘Crazies’ Break Up Mailer Rally.” New York Post, 15 May (P.S. 41, disrupted by demonstrators with Viet Cong flags).
69.37 — Dan O. Kent, “Mayor Mailer: The Writer as Politician.” Pousto (spring–summer); cover photograph of Mailer.
69.38 — David Herres, “Vote for Yourself, Vote for Anarchy, Vote for Mailer-Breslin.” Win (War Resisters League), 15 May.
69.39 — Paul Hoffman, “The Mayoral Debate: Who Lost?” New York Post, 16 May (15 May Channel 11 debate).
69.40 — Richard Reeves, “Six Democratic Candidates for Mayor Tangle in First TV Debate.” New York Times, 16 May.
69.42 — Edward C. Burks, “Sutton’s Tip-of-Manhattan Highway Plan Is Called Infeasible.” New York Times, 21 May.
69.43 — Joseph Roddy, “The Latest Model Mailer.” Look, 27 May. (Rpt: 88.6.)
69.44 / 69.45 — Kenneth Gross / Gene Spagnoli, on Mailer and Breslin at George Washington’s statue on Wall Street, 28 May. “New York has the best people and the worst administration in the world.”
69.46 — Nick Browne, “Citizen Mailer Sees No Point in Losing.” Village Voice, 29 May.
69.47 — “No Missiles, More for Cities Is Anti-A.B.M. Rally Theme.” Brooklyn Heights Press, 29 May.
69.48 — Bill Kovach, “Mailer Defends Dual-Admission Plan.” New York Times, 30 May.
69.49 — Raymond J. Tuers, “Life Style of a ‘Left Conservative.’” Asbury Park Evening Press, 31 May; cover photograph of Mailer.
69.50 — “Long Shot Is Best Bet: Mailer Picks Winner in Mayoral Handicap.” Long Island Press, 31 May. Mailer handicaps himself: “First time starter, good barn, 20–1. Best bet.”

The final stretch (June)

69.51 — William Reel, “The Bore Busters.” Sunday News, 1 June.
69.52 — Betsy Dirnberger, “The Norman Conquest.” Other Voices (Elmira College), June.
69.53 / 69.54 / 69.59 / 69.63 — “What City Candidates Say” / “What the City Candidates Are Saying,” New York Times, 3, 4, 7, 10 June. Brief position quotes (legalized gambling, education, the anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s death).
69.55 — Murray Kempton, “Understanding Mailer.” New York Post, 4 June.
69.56 — Ron Hollander, “Mailer Brings the Word to B’klyn.” New York Post, 5 June.
69.57 — Helen Dudar, “The Candidates: Norman Mailer.” New York Post, 6 June.
69.58 — James Garrett, “Norman Mailer’s Dream… It Could Be a Nightmare.” Showtime (Cleveland Press), 6 June.
69.60 — Bernard Weinraub, “Mailer’s Style: An Orthodox Campaign Waged with Some Unorthodox Ideas.” New York Times, 8 June.
69.61 — Alan M. Adelson, “Candidate Mailer: Savior or Spoiler?” New Leader, 9 June.
69.62 — “The Primary: Mailer Says He’ll ‘Probably’ Stay in Politics.” New York Times, 10 June. “I will probably be in politics for the rest of my life. I mean it.”
69.64 — “The Primary: Procaccino Urges Democratic Candidates to Speak on the Issues.” New York Times, 11 June.
69.65 — Tom Wicker, “In the Nation: Mailer with His Hair Combed.” New York Times, 12 June. Favorable column. (Rpt: 69.80.)
69.66 — “Mailer and Marchi: Pick the ‘Conservative.’” Brooklyn Heights Press, 12 June.
69.67 — “New York: Mailer for Mayor.” Time, 13 June.
69.68 — “Mayoral Candidates Reply to 7 Questions from the Times on Governing the City.” New York Times, 14 June. Mailer stresses neighborhood control and the 51st-state idea.
69.69 — “Democrats Trade Charges of Bigotry.” New York Times, 15 June. Mailer at Macy’s with his wife Beverly Bentley.
69.71 — Clayton Knowles, “Mayoral Candidates Vie in Two TV Debates.” New York Times, 16 June.
69.72 — William E. Farrell, “Five Democratic Mayoral Candidates in Primary Today Trade Last-Minute Gibes.” New York Times, 17 June.

After the primary (defeat, 17 June)

69.73 — Timothy Lee, “From Norman Mailer, a Word of Caution for the Winners.” New York Post, 18 June. At the post-election party: “If I’m right about this city being on the edge of doom, then heaven help this city.”
69.74 — Pamela Howard, “Mailer to Back Lindsay, If…” New York Post, 19 June (on possibly backing John Lindsay).
69.75 — Joe Walker, “A Candid Talk with Mailer.” Muhammad Speaks, 20 June.
69.76 — Richard Woodley, “A Literary Ticket for the 51st State.” Life, 30 June.
69.77 — “Be My Guest, Norman Mailer.” New York Post, 1 July. Mailer’s post-mortem column (guest of James A. Wechsler). (Rpt: 69.80.)
69.78 — Irma Kurtz, “Dear Norman Mailer.” Sunday Express (Johannesburg), 6 July. “I’m free to move.”
69.79 — Leticia Kent, “Shoot-for-the-Moon Mailer.” Vogue, 15 August (conducted in May). On the tension between literature and politics. (Rpt: 69.80.)

Norman Mailer campaigning for mayor of New York, 1969

Referenced by 13

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First published: 1969
Form: other
Cite as: /works/1969-mailer-breslin-campaign
Last updated: 2026-05-30