h. nazan ışık—

1 October 2024—

We are at the first press conference Mayor Adams is holding after his indictment on bribery charges.

It is a full house, and the ambiance is very serious. Questions from the press are focused mostly on the investigation and Mayor Adams’s ability to run the city.

I decided to ask a not-so-serious question. It is about his trips on the “Turkish Airlines”.

h. nazan ışık: Mr. Mayor!

He looked at me.

Mayor Adams: How are you?

That is a perfect time to ask “how ARE YOU?” But I didn’t. I can guess the answer; “I am well, I am strong, I am great, I did nothing wrong etc…”

h. nazan ışık: Very well, thank you. I have two questions as well. One is, if you were sitting here as a journalist, what would you ask Mayor Eric Adams?

Mayor Adams: What would I ask Mayor Eric Adams? Uh-huh. That was one. And the second question?

h. n. ışık: And the second question, of course after you answer (the first one), The second question (is) how was the menu and service on the Turkish Airlines?  And would you recommend it? 

Everyone laughed. 

Mayor Adams: What, what?

I guess either he didn’t expect this question and needed some time to reply or maybe he really didn’t hear the second one.

Someone (repeated the question): How was the menu and service on the Turkish Airlines?  And would you recommend it? 

Everyone laughed again, he did too. 

I didn’t think that I would get a really sincere answer. He gave a very brief and evasive answer,

Mayor Adams: (He laughed too) You know (a little pause), I love that question. Great service, great service.

 

He just jumped to the first question. 

He didn’t give me a chance to ask follow-up questions; How was the food? He always says he is a vegan. Did they make something special for him, or did he choose something from the menu? Did they treat him as any first or business class passenger or as Eric Adams, The Mayor of New York City?

But I am glad I had a chance to ask that question.

Mayor Adams: And if I were sitting here asking a question to myself, Eric Adams, I would ask him, are you the person you say you are. That you’re able to deal with stress and strife and still maintain that discipline, that posture, and still serve the people of the city that you’ve served for much of your adult life?

Interesting! The question he asked himself wasn’t very  different than what reporters have been asking, “…to deal with stress….and still serve the people of the city….”

He didn’t even pause for a second to answer his own question, didn’t look at reporters. He carried on in a hurry.  

Mayor Adams: And then making myself the mayor and answering it, I would say, yes, yes, I am. Thank you.

And he left immediately.

© h. nazan ışık

Photos © h. nazan ışık / NKENdiKEN