Political Whispers

Love is in the air
BY GEORGE ELIAS
Valentine’s Day emerged from the snow banks this past Tuesday, though political hearts have been warming for weeks.
First, federal judge John Gleeson declared that New York’s method of selecting Supreme Court judges was unconstitutional, and in the 77 pages of his decision, only mentioned Queens to identify which judicial district it comprised. That’s a tribute to the Irish charm of the Democratic County Leader, Tom Manton who, as a former member of the House of Representatives and U.S. Marines knows how to get his way without leaving bruises.
The general consensus among the lawyers and judges to whom I spoke was that, in Queens at least, the abandonment of the nominating convention for the primary would be a distinction without a difference.
So this much-heralded assault on the power of the “political bosses” was barely a footnote to the love fest that was the Queens County Democratic Organization’s annual Winter Cocktail Party last Thursday evening at Antun’s in Queens Village. It would be only a minor exaggeration to say that among Queens Dems, just about anyone who was anyone (or wanted to be) was there.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was effusive in her praise of the County leader, and declared that Tom Manton (who looks more like a healthier version of Peter O’Toole every day) was instrumental in her ascension to the leadership. The fact that the event was attended by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión and Brooklyn County leader Vito Lopez, lent unspoken credence to Queens County’s influence. One could surmise that Lopez picked up a few pointers on how to exert influence by shaking hands rather than twisting arms, but that’s just speculation.
N.Y. Senate Minority Leader and candidate for Lt. Governor, David Paterson also joined the stellar occupants of the stage, to much acclaim. Andy Cuomo, who received Manton’s blessing to be the candidate for Attorney General, spent much of the evening getting in touch with many of the African American attendees, some of whom were still smarting at his fouling of the well and Carl McCall’s pursuit of the Governor’s mansion four years ago.
Manton went on to assure the room that everyone was back in the fold, especially Melinda Katz and Leroy Comrie, who along with David Weprin, kept their hats in the ring for Council Speaker longer than some here would have liked. Comrie, who moved to the Chair of the Consumer Affairs Committee of the City Council, also rose to Majority leader, a tribute to his yeoman’s work as chair of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections.
In the heady glow of the event, dreams crept into the air, with the idle speculation that if our junior Senator goes on to be President, Governor Spitzer could send himself to the Senate, and New York would have its first Black Governor.
As with every love fest, there’s an afterglow. We hear that the year of the woman continues in N.Y. politics, in that Flushing’s own Toby Ann Stavisky will be tapped to replace Paterson as minority leader of the State Senate.
The word also is that the County nod for Brian McLaughlin’s open seat (who was either not at the party, or never stood up so you could see him) will be going to Rory Lancman. This will be a disappointment to John Dorsa, who with his wife Mary Ann and a few supporters, were working the room, as well as Morshed Alam, whose long-shot status in the primary was enhanced by a recent strategic cross-endorsement from Republican State Senator Frank Padavan.
One can only wonder how the Republicans spent Valentine’s Day. Maybe listening to see if their presents were ticking?