And that is why I announce my candidacy today for mayor of New York City.

And I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it. And I hope to show you that every day.

In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn.

Did I make mistakes, sometimes painfully? Definitely.

These conditions exist not as an act of God, but rather as an act of our political leaders, or more precisely, the lack of intelligent action by many of our political leaders.

The city just feels threatening, out of control, and in crisis.

But New Yorkers know the simple answer of what to do when there’s a crisis in leadership. You lead, you act, you do.

I want New York to not only survive, but for New York to thrive.

We didn’t do these things because they were easy. They weren’t. They were hard, but they were necessary, and today it is necessary to launch a bold action plan to turn New York City around, to save our city.

I know what needs to be done and I know how to do it. Experience matters. Leading New York City in the midst of a crisis is not the time or the place for on-the-job training.

Our city is in crisis. We need government to work. We need effective leadership.

The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to government.