The columnist Reynolds.
Legislatures should insist on chief executives appearing before them at annual session, the first of the year.
Going bananas
The state political calendar is rapidly turning toward party conventions. Republicans will meet this month in Westchester, Democrats later. Speculation over choices for lieutenant governor has gathered steam.
In the normal course of events, the job of lieutenant governor doesn’t mean much more than a bucket of warm spit, to quote former FDR vice president “Texas Jack” Garner, who in fact, may have been misquoted. For an exception, I give you two words: David Paterson. This decision will be carefully considered.
God, how I prayed that Andrew Cuomo would take Mike Hein as a running mate, but perhaps they are just too much alike. Several novenas and scores of candles failed to turn the trick.
Hein was mentioned four years ago — prematurely, I thought, since he’d been in office for only about a year and a half. Of late, published reports had Hein “downplaying” his prospects, meaning he had none.
Most pundits expect Cuomo to choose a mid-state or western New York woman as his running mate. Joanie Maloney, Republican mayor of Syracuse, is most frequently mentioned.
While Cuomo can pick and choose, on the Republican side apparent party nominee Rob Astorino was said to be having problems finding anybody to run with him on what most perceive as a losing ticket. But on Tuesday, Chemung County Sheriff Chris Moss, a Marist alum, was unveiled as Astorino’s running mate. Cuomo, with about $40 million in the bank, is currently up by some 30 points. Losing the Working Families Party endorsement could cost him a chunk of that lead, however.
The buzz around Dutchess was that first-term County Executive Marc Molinaro could get a phone call. Molinaro has juice. As former Tivoli mayor, county legislator and a two-term assemblyman, and only 38, he has miles to go and is popular in the mid-Hudson region.
Alas, he hasn’t returned phone calls on this subject. Hein doesn’t return calls at all. My experience has been when they don’t call back they’re plotting. Maybe not. Molinaro, like Hein in 2010, is barely into his first term.
Astorino’s cause might be better served by following Cuomo’s strategy for second banana. Both top dogs could be barking at Joanie Maloney’s door.
Gubernatorial history
Old-timers will recall the 1986 gubernatorial race when Ulster County DA Mike Kavanagh ran as candidate for lieutenant governor with Westchester County executive Andy O’Rourke. They were soundly defeated by Mario Cuomo and Stan (“don’t call me Stanley”) Lundine. That was the race where Kavanagh purchased a $26 “campaign dress” for his wife out of campaign funds. But perhaps Kavanagh’s taking one for the party gave him leverage when he successfully sought the nomination for state Supreme Court judge a few years later.
I was highly insulted to see and hear Zimet tell us how great Bonacic and Savago are. Apparently she forgets how they blocked Democratic initiatives for years and years.
She seems to be leaning towards taking a Republican endorsement.
Zimet can reach across the aisle? to what? to Republicans who oppose every plank of progressive government? It’s about time Republicans reached across the aisle… women’s choice, equal pay, education, public transportation, minimum wage, the environment, science… there’s not a thing the Republicans have that this country needs.
And the sales tax issue is NOT as issue: if Hein had been willing to simply commit in plans what he had already promised in principle, there would have been no problem at all, And if Cahill had not forced Hein’s hand, the county would not now be picking up Kingston’s safety net: KIngston would still be on a hook that far exceed the short term tax revenue loss that Hein brought down.
Reynolds is editorializing, Reynolds is supporting Zimet under the guise of a political columnist.
I am tired of Zimet’s antics. Zimet thinks that she can waltz into a room, declare she is the greatest and everyone should bow down. Her narcissistic ranting at the Democratic Women’s event was nauseating. She let us all know that she was asked many, many times by many, many people to run for Congress, Assembly, Senate, Executive and everything else under the sun.
She also let us know that Pete Savago decided that because of her, he would change his lifelong hatred of anything related to Democrats, and support her.
I say, if the Republicans want her, they can have her! Kevin Cahill has nothing to worry about with me.