NYC is home to “adult bars,” why not Lower Manhattan mosque project: Bloomberg

Mayor also talks about the prevalence of rats and bedbugs and LeBron James picking Miami

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has staunchly supported Park51, the proposed community center and Islamic prayer space in Lower Manhattan, did more of the same last night on “The Late Show with David Letterman” (see segment above). “This is New York City. So you have adult bars — all different kinds of things that you expect in a big city,” he said. “Why not Park51?”

When Letterman asked whether the proposed plans are moving forward, Bloomberg responded: “The issue is simply, should the government be involved? I happen to believe the First Amendment says that if you want to Build A Place of worship, pray any way you want to, pray to anybody you want to pray — government shouldn’t be involved.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump appeared on the talk show early in the month, defending his position against the proposed location for the mosque, two blocks from Ground Zero. (Sharif El-Gamal, chairman and CEO of Manhattan-based real estate investment firm Soho Properties, and the developer of Park51, will be a special guest at The Real Deal’s sixth annual forum, “The Road to Recovery,” Wed., Oct. 13, 2010. Click here for more information.)

Letterman inquired about the mayor’s feelings about NBA star LeBron James joining the Miami Heat, rather than coming to the Big Apple. Bloomberg said, “If it wasn’t New York, it was a bad choice.”

And when asked about the increased presence of rats and bedbugs, Bloomberg cracked: “We’re going to try to export them elsewhere.”