Hugh Reynolds: Parking violation?

The columnist Reynolds.

Bernardo has stirred the pot, however ignored by the incumbent. Given recent robocalls to locals asking who they favor for Congress next year, Hein or Republican John Faso, Bernardo is asking Hein whether he will pledge to serve a full, four-term if re-elected in November. He may get that question at the League debate on the 26th.

Notes

Hein strolled from the county office building on Fair Street to trendy Le Canard in the company of Kingston mayoral primary winner Steve Noble. Hein once spoke to a “partnership” with Mayor Shayne Gallo, laid low during the recent primary won by Noble.

“He’s about uniting Democrats, as I am,” said Noble of his newest ally.

Former Working Families Party leader Jen Fuentes, hired and fired by Gallo in an ugly exchange, switched horses this time, with disastrous results for the mayor.

Asked about the campaign for Noble, this king maker, who figures to be a member of a Noble administration, said, “We did the same thing we did last time.” To paraphrase Lincoln, you can cross some of the people some of the time, but don’t mess with Fuentes.

Reminds me of a Yogi Berra story. Allie “Superchief” Reynolds was pitching a no-hitter at the Stadium with two outs in the ninth when the ever-dangerous Ted Williams came to the plate. Yogi called a pitch high and tight in the strike zone. Williams lifted a harmless pop fly behind home. Yogi dropped it, to groans from fans. Years later, when asked what pitch he called next time, Yogi responded, “Same thing, high and tight. Same result, only that time, I caught it.”

Owing perhaps to a perverse sense of humor, I found Le Canard a curious, if not convenient choice for a politician’s kickoff party. Canard means “duck” in French, which pols do all the time. In English it means an obvious falsehood, more commonly called a “base canard” by hack columnists.

Speaking of Faso’s congressional bid, I found his initial press release decrying the economic woes of upstate New York decidedly underwhelming. Unless this guy has some definitive ideas on how to revive the economy — and I don’t mean the much- maligned Start-Up New York — he won’t be taken seriously.

Just so Hein doesn’t assume the Democratic nomination for Congress is his for the taking, buzz around party circles is that former state senator Cecilia Tkaczyk might be considering a run. She says she’s keeping her options open, but if serious, needs to start soon. Tkaczyk lost big to Republican George Amedore last year, but demonstrated the ability to raise millions in campaign donations, mostly from left-of-center advocacy groups. She is currently a member of the newly re-formed Women’s Equality Party (WEP).

Ran into some Democratic committee folks from New Paltz at the Hein event. Outgoing Supervisor Susan Zimet, once the most controversial of local public officials, is running below the radar these days. She’s busy preparing her last budget, I was told.