In the eastern part of the district, early speculation centers on Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, the latter Hinchey’s hand-picked successor for assemblyman in 1992.
As a practical matter, Hein, with nothing to lose, gets the nod. Whatever he decides, Hein will still be county executive until the end of 2015. Cahill, on the other hand, would have to give up a safe seat with no guarantees of even surviving a primary.
Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan has been mentioned. Ironically, Hinchey beat another Binghamton mayor, Juanita Crabb, in a 1992 Democratic primary.
Should the district be carved up between Republicans Gibson and Hayworth, a Democrat will have virtually no hope of winning. Which is to say we are probably now enjoying the last few months of Congressional influence as the countdown to the end of the Hinchey era begins.
A question of judgment
Last May I passed on commenting about the DWI arrest in Hurley of Hinchey’s wife, Allison Lee. These things happen and the rich and famous, because they’re famous, tend to pay an inordinate price in terms of publicity when things go south. Lee’s BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.12 (50 percent above the legal limit) did give pause, however. Lee, after several over-played postponements, eventually pleaded to the lesser offense of driving while impaired in November.
I made a mental note to check with District Attorney Holley Carnright on whether the congressman’s wife had been dealt with any differently than the hundreds of faceless drunks who pass through our judicial system.
As usual around here, things happen and I didn’t get around to it. Then came the night of Jan. 18, when Lee rear-ended another car around 9 p.m. in downtown Albany. The high-priced lobbyist broke her Ulster record with a 0.14 BAC, according to Albany police. The timing for her — and her husband, especially her husband — couldn’t have been worse. Hinchey was due to make his retirement announcement at 1 p.m. the next day. (Imagine that phone call.) The Nick Nolte-like mug shot of the accused published by local papers only added to the embarrassment.
Reporters had to wait for the Q&A portion at Hinchey’s farewell address to raise the question. After a few obligatory softballs, a young TV reporter (somewhat tentatively, I thought) asked, “Congressman, would you like to talk about your wife’s DWI?”
The mostly Hinchey crowd reacted furiously. “No. No,” several yelled. “Inappropriate here,” someone shouted. Hisses and boos resounded around the Vanderlyn Room. Fists were literally shaken in the air.
Hinchey, who has hearing issues, looked a little befuddled. With the noise, muffling some of his response, I thought he told the reporter he didn’t understand the question. She started to say something, at which point he waved her aside and said, “No ma’am,” he said tartly, dismissing the question.
Partisans were still angry after the meeting broke up a few minutes later. I heard “god-damned media” a few times, curious since media had made and publicized their hero for almost four decades.
What a bitter article! Excuse me while I go shower the sentiment off.
No, that is correct Mr. painted-on-smiling-face on North Front Street: you are the media, and not only are you not here to make anyone’s life better–you are sometimes there to wreck lives and not give a crap–like “my man Kirby” at your old employer. You are the media–there to create scandal even when it’s not there. Not “here” of course–but “there.” You know–in the Hurley Ave. Hinterlands of Yore.
Oh–and you forgot the whole theme of Carnwright’s opponent, built upon the unreported bloggate of 2009-2010–which involved that guy that opponent’s wife into whose face cast a drink at one time(your sendoff of him was a lot better and he didn’t deserve it). Just have to remind these Alzheimer types–or is it “Pre-Alzheimer’s”(lest some shrink shrink YOU uh, prematurely). I’ll look for a column on that of course–aha, hopefully before I have to declare myself in Alzheimer’s land. I’m betting to see it first on the next Oprah–yes that’s right, I said OPRAH.