Unhappily, many New York pols are as reluctant as Rangel to face the future.
Indeed, pretty much the entire New York political establishment — plus Mayor Bloomberg and Ed Koch, among others — has lined up behind the incumbent.
The message that sends is clear enough: Sleaze and corruption are endemic in New York because those who shouldn’t tolerate it actually embrace it.
Should the 15th District — upper Manhattan — be represented by an ethically crippled, 21-term incumbent?
Or is it time for a fresh face, representing a new generation and, yes, an emerging Latino community?
The choice is obvious.