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Mayor Bob Parker is unsure about the comparison with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, but the earthquake that struck Christchurch could help him keep his job.
Mr Parker, who has taken charge after the 7.1 magnitude quake caused widespread destruction across his city, is trailing his rival, Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton, in the polls before the mayoral election next month.
Canterbury talkback host Mike Yardley yesterday told the Herald that Mr Parker had proven himself to be an effective leader in a time of crisis, as would be expected.
"Certainly, looking at some of those scenes when he was escorting John Key around the city centre, it was very reminiscent of Rudy Giuliani," who led the city of New York after the 9/11 terror attacks.
Mr Parker told the Herald he was simply doing what he was paid to do, and he had no idea how it would affect his election chances.
"It just seems the combative nature of politics looks vaguely repulsive right now. I did try to think about it at one point, but I just can't get my head into that space."
On the Giuliani comparison, he said: "I'll take that in the nicest possible way."
Mr Anderton said it was no time for political points-scoring. He said Mr Parker seemed, on the face of it, to be doing a good job managing the city through the disaster.
But asked about the comparison between Mr Parker and Mr Giuliani, he responded: "What happened to Rudy? Where is he now?"
The most recent Christchurch mayoralty poll, by the Press newspaper, showed Mr Anderton with 50 per cent support of committed voters against 31 per cent for Mr Parker.
But 57 per cent of intending voters polled were undecided over who should be mayor - and it is these people Mr Parker will be hoping he can win over.
Mr Anderton said his own Christchurch electorate office had been damaged in the earthquake, forcing him to work from home. He had deliberately stayed out of the way in the aftermath of the quake.
"I haven't been into the central city because the last thing the authorities there want is politicians hanging around hoping to get noticed."
Christchurch people who may not have been motivated to vote might now "reward" Mr Parker with their support.
