News Copy, New York

The Subject Was Power Lines

New York's senior U.S. Senator, also known as Senator Pothole (not to be confused with the Long Island lobbyist formerly know as "Senator Pothole), has latched onto a movement in Upstate New York to stop power lines that is worth a much closer look.

You can also file this story under the "all politics is local" folder, since it can be issues like the following that turn any election upside down.

The Associated Press reported U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer challenging a private energy company to provide alternative routes for power lines planned from Utica to the lower Hudson Valley.

(hat tip to Central New York's NYCO blog -- and a Utica resident).

On the train from Albany to Yonkers late Wednesday afternoon, I struck up a conversation with a Utica resident who shared with me her perspectives on the power lines debate.

For a political consultant or a reporter, a story isn't grasped the same way or any better than when you hear the sentiments of someone whose backyard could be affected by this power line proposal.

And I know all about the need for upgraded and additional power lines all over New York (and most of the United States), but who wants 115 foot power lines in their backyard -- especially one providing electricity downstate, many hundreds of miles away.

Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a statement that he is "skeptical" of the plan, and urged the company, New York Regional Interconnect, to hold a series of public meetings large enough to host all those throughout the region who want to attend.

The senator asked NYRI to identify all proposed routes and which route the company prefers. He also asked the company to promise it will not run the line through the "Wild and Scenic" area of the Delaware River.

Schumer knows better.  Democrats in New York City and surrounding downstate areas have been blocking the construction of new power plants for decades, not to mention the blocking of power plants throughout New York State by the same liberal lobby.

Of course, transmission lines -- many antiquated and in need of drastic repair or replacement -- are not power plants.

Try keeping the blackouts from happening without a better transmission grid.

Try expanding commerce and many industries -- throughout Upstate New York -- without a better power grid (that includes chip plants).

Try having the taxpayers of New York pay for the upgrading of the state's transmission grid.

NYCO makes a good point.

Now let’s hear from someone downstate who’s actually up for election/re-election…

NYCO also notes that the movement against these power lines is not slight.

The "upstate versus downstate" battle being shaped here is one every elected official and candidate should take a closer look at.

Utica Mayor Tim Julian, a Republican running for State Senate, has been outspoken on this issue.  In the backyards in Central New York, along the railroad right-of-way where these lines are proposed, opposition to the power lines is not drawn along partisan lines.

It's a local issue.

It's a regional issue.

Maybe it is a NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) issue too -- but eminent domain is staring some homeowners right in the face.

It's also an economic issue.

It has a bit more to do with "progress" too.

Blackouts anywhere aren't fun.

NYCO noted another side of this power line battle that has pit community against community.

"The town of Frankfort is on the so-called “alternate route” for the NYRI line, but some Frankfort residents suspect that that’s really the route that NYRI intends all along — and that relieved citizens in Utica (who are on the “proposed” route) will all too gladly stop fighting the project once they get a reprieve and NYRI switches to its alternate route, leaving smaller communities like Frankfort alone and without support."

NYCO called the "evolving rhetoric" an "eruption of a full-blown anti-downstate rash."

“This is a typical move by downstate special interests to hurt our region,” Sen. John Bonacic said. “A hundred years ago, New York City flooded our lands to build their reservoir system. Now their allies are trying to blight our landscape and raise our electric rates to feed the city’s appetite for energy. Our region must stand firm and tell the city that we are not just conduits for their water and power. We are communities in our own right, and they may not take our land for their selfish purposes.”

News Copy should have more on this issue soon.

Taking the train from Albany is educational.

A Few Words On The Ice Princess

Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Spencer (the probable Republican nominee, who already has the Conservative line) is going to need a lot more than Steve Forbes to make rain against Hillary Clinton.

If it takes a press conference in the heartland, Spencer has to take his campaign right to the feet of the national media and shame them into covering this U.S. Senate race.

Human Events reported that Forbes will hold his first fundraiser for the former Yonkers mayor on May 22nd at the Women's National Republican Club in Manhattan -- but it will take more than money to beat Hillary Clinton.

"There are donors across the nation, and especially in New York, wanting to defeat Hillary, but they've been waiting for the right candidate and the right messenger," said Spencer campaign manager Kevin Collins.

You defeat New York's junior U.S. Senator by reminding voters that she has done a sub-par job and you don't let Rupert Murdoch convince people that she's worthy of re-election.

If that means waging a campaign against Murdoch the single most powerful "conservative media mogul" on the planet, you do so.  So far, Spencer and company seem reluctant to do so.

You also must take the race to a national stage, on national issues and force Clinton to speak.  If this means talking to the Kansas City Star -- go outside the media bubble and burst it.

Murdoch wants a good story.  Give him one.  Stretch this U.S. Senate race out into every living room in America.

Don't be so silent that liberals dictate an arena that should be shaped by Republicans.

Susan Estrich, who is best remembered politically for guiding the presidential bid of Michael Dukakis into Horton-ville (as in Willie Horton), penned this recycled analysis for FOX News on how John Spencer is getting more harassment from fellow Republicans like Ed Rollins.

Getting poked, probed, investigated and exposed is all part of running against Hillary Clinton, right?

"There isn’t just one Ed Rollins; there are a dozen of them, each eager to be the loyal soldier who puts out information only to protect us against the "rain of ridicule" from Hillary and Bill later on.

In the interest of protection, we would need to know about everybody’s extra-marital affairs, marital blowups, temper tantrums, financial misdealings and anything even remotely bearing on character as defined in Clinton-land, where there are no limits."

The finances of Kathleen Troia McFarland are being inspected, the Associated Press reported, but why aren't Hillary Clinton's monies being watched (or exposed) as closely.

Few news outlets will cross-examine the former First Lady thoroughly about her non-stand on the Iraqi occupation, though The New York Observer is trying to raise the volume on Clinton's fence-sitting ambiguity.

She's conning us, of course, but I suspect that most New Yorkers don't care.

Too many New Yorkers on already burnt out on Hillary.  Republicans are afraid to counter her aggressively (it costs too much and they keep listening to pollsters who tell them to shut up).  Though John Spencer is not part of this "playing-it-safe" crowd, he's neither getting a fair shake from the national media -- nor are his fellow Republicans expressing outrage.

Most devils often sneak in when we do nothing.

Pothole Analysis?

Capitol Confidential and The Daily Politics both had stories on how New York's Congressional delegation is ranked, particularly Senator Clinton.

Clinton did not fair well nationally -- but within New York she ranked number 2.

She also has her influence.

"Interesting to note, however, that she ranks higher (5) than he does (9) on the influence scale - determined by a legislator’s demonstrated power “to influence the congressional agenda or outcome of votes through the media, congressional caucuses or money contributed to other members of Congress."

She could do a lot more with that influence.

The ice princess from Chappaqua works in the shadow of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and a recent study found that nearly half of her colleagues are ranked higher in terms of position, influence and legislation, according to Congress.org.

This is a story.

The Daily Politics was the first blog awake to the actual ranking but the devil is in the details.

Benjamin of Capitol Confidential had more details but everyone in the fourth estate missed what News Copy viewed as the most powerful number in this analysis.

Based on the analysis of influence, U.S. Senator John McCain topped his nearest competitor in the entire U.S. Senate, Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania, 65.88 to 52.12.

U.S. Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee ranked number one overall but his "influence" numbers pale in comparison to thirteen other U.S. Senators, including Clinton and Schumer.

It sounded to us like a liberal list but the analysis was varied enough to lend some merit to the study.

Only three news outlets in New York State touched the original story; with three variations of a Gannett News Service story (out of Washington, DC) picked up by The Press and Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton, The Journal News in Westchester County and The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Little attention was paid to what Clinton had done or not done.

No comment was gathered by Clinton's Republican critics or opponents.

Schumer, Clinton Among Senate's Most Powerful, Study Says -- The Journal News slanted its headline.

In other words, no editor actually assigned a local reporter to discuss the study that ranked Clinton 41 among her contemporaries nor did anyone really try to find out why Chuck Schumer isn't being considered as a Democratic contender more than Clinton.

"As a member of leadership and the Finance Committee, I can do even more for our state," Schumer said. "From leading the charge to keeping the Bills in Buffalo, to helping secure federal dollars for Renaissance Square in Rochester, to helping Lockheed land the US101 contract, any additional clout that helps me deliver for New York is a good thing."

Clinton hasn't delivered.

This was not handled like a story.

It was shaped like a "spin" piece for the liberal Democrat from Arkansas.

She's used New York as a doormate, a staging ground to run nationally.

The "Power Rankings" gathered by Knowlegis for Congress.org noted that New York State has lost its clout in the Northeast and among most states.

Expensive Damage: Hillary Mud For $200,000

Political Insurance: Know Thy Self

Since I have been hired from time time to time to do background checks on on my own candidates, the story last week on KT McFarland doing opposition research on herself didn't surprise me.

I can think of a few statewide candidates who should have invested in the same thing.

Black Market Opposition Research

Apparently, the going rate for dirt on Hillary Clinton is $200,000 -- and it's reported to be good opposition research that was compiled on New York's junior U.S. Senator by Ed Cox's campaign.

Anyone out there want to purchase a political atomic bomb on the campaign black market?

Spencer's camp couldn't afford it, at least not yet.  The Republican State Committee wasn't interested in making that kind of investment.  Neither was George Pataki, so there is $200,000 worth political weaponry collecting dust somewhere.

Between Karl Rove in the White House and Congressman Tom Reynolds running the NRCC, I would imagine that someone out there would be interested in this research.  Of course, those selling this information must feel like rogue spies and those knowing what's between the pages must certainly be privy to a headline or two.

This could someday be a political holy grail for some political operatives.  Imagine if this research stays forever buried?  Or how about a scenario where some political operative, now rogue, sells it to Hillary Clinton to give her fair warning?

$200,000 worth of information is one persuasive payday -- but I could also imagine an honorable soul would just donate it to Hillary's opponent.  However, it should be noted that Ed Cox spent an estimated million dollars of his own money on his U.S. Senate bid.  Given the value of such research -- and the operatives gathering such details -- it's an understatement to say that more than one person at 315 State Street (and the rest of the Republican Party) is cheap.

Someone could have paid the salaries and contracts associated with this political opposition research, as a matter of good form -- including Team Spencer, the RNC, anyone in President George W. Bush's political circle, the Senate's campaign committee and probably any one of a thousand organizations with the bucks to pick up the tab.

It's just another example of New York abandoning itself and and the national GOP abandoning New York.

If they really wanted to win, if they really wanted to beat Hillary Clinton, Ed Cox's expensive damage would have already been painted on the front pages of America's newspapers.

Wax Dummies

I had a good laugh when I saw the following video on The Daily Politics about the Legislative Correspondents Association's (LCA) Annual Dinner where Hillary stands in for her wax dummy

Right now, the Republican Party is losing to that wax dummy.

Liz Benjamin of the Albany Times Union's blog Capitol Confidential reported that this year's show was entitled "Lame Duck Soup" and starred the journalists who cover New York State, a tradition of parody that goes back over a hundred years with the press in Albany.

Right now, I think the joke's on all of us and it isn't funny anymore.

Gas Prices Prompt Political Hay

Gothamist introduced readers to Gas Buddy on Monday.

Gas Buddy has average prices per gallon for regular unleaded gas for every county in the country.

There is even a trend chart for gas prices in U.S. and Canada.

President George W. Bush spoke up Tuesday about gas prices, one day after Eliot Spitzer blamed Bush.

The Associated Press reported that Spitzer pointed the finger at the Oval Office.

You know that Democrats are enjoying a wide lead when that party's gubernatorial candidate in New York State starts aiming at the White House.

"This is, once again, demonstrative of the complete failure of energy policy that we have seen out of Washington over the last five years and, frankly, it goes back farther than that," said Spitzer, a candidate for governor.

Back to Clinton?

Bush, Sr.?

Reagan?

Carter?

Ford?

Nixon?

Republicans in New York defended the President.

One of his Republican opponents for governor, John Faso, said Spitzer is using the president and the issue to avoid talking about his own platform of "platitudes and vapors."

"It's surprising he wants to take pot shots at George Bush when Spitzer is avoiding the issues that will concern New York's next governor," said Faso, an attorney and former minority leader of the state Assembly.

Faso should be applauded by Republicans for aggressively defending Bush.

Faso did more.  He reminded voters that the tax at the pump has in itself been intolerable.

Faso said the state should make sure price gouging laws are enforced, but also said Albany could waive the state's gasoline tax on the price per gallon above $2. ...

We wish Faso would do this every single day.

Also on Monday, Republican attorney general candidate Jeanine Pirro said the state should be investigating whether oil companies are colluding to inflate profits.
"When you have competing companies that are engaging in the raising of prices in lock step with each other, you have to question whether or not this in coincidence or price fixing," Pirro, the former Westchester district attorney, told The Associated Press. "With the merger of Exxon and Mobil and Chevron and Texaco, we have very little competition among the energy companies."

The Daily News speculated how mid-term elections had roused Bush out of his political slumber.

So why the sudden petroleum populism?

Simple: A President already in huge political trouble recognizes surging gasoline prices are a grievous threat to Republicans in midterm elections less than seven months away - and to his withering public support.

"He has got to be seen as a President who won't put up with oil companies screwing the public," a close Bush confidant told the Daily News.

"This is not surprising to me," the source added. "He has good political antenna. He knows this is an issue that's potentially a big [pain] for him."

W vowed a probe of gas gouging.

The Press and Sun-Bulletin reported on U.S. Senator Charles Schumer's bi-annual gas gouging press conference.

Albany Earthquake

Now that Joe Bruno has reminded Albany that he is the titular head of New York's Republican party, the question left is whether or not the rest of the state will notice.

Bruno's request that Jeanine Pirro enter the Attorney General's race was not a loud noise signifying nothing -- and it wasn't done with any rude bluster.

Very early this morning The New York Post started the drum-roll of praise.

BRUNO FOR THE GOP

"Politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum.

Thus did Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno yesterday step forward to fill the leadership void at the New York Republican State Committee — saying out loud what party leaders have been whispering for months.

That is, Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro has no chance of defeating Sen Hillary Clinton next fall — none whatsoever."

The problem is that the State Senate Majority Leader will get "spun" this morning by many people, by the press and varying politicians feeding them.

... And Joe Bruno is not exactly New York's idea of a white knight.

It was a redemptive act, nevertheless, and his zeal for Golisano's billions motivated him.  It's our hunch that the State GOP is at war now, politically speaking.  Despite his lame duck status, George Pataki is still sitting in the Executive Chamber.

It's the third guy in the room, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who News Copy is most concerned about.  Newly elected Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco was not shy yesterday, the AP reported.  Words like "confrontation" and "aggressive" were put out in front. 

Maybe Joe Bruno was inspired by Tedisco's vigor and the Majority Leader's comments perhaps hinted what's on the horizon:

"Jimmy's a leader. Jimmy's been in a leadership position. He's been the Deputy Minority Leader there for a length of time. He's a colleague, he touches on my district. I applaud him. That's great for his district and for the Capital Region."

The Albany Times Union penned a hopeful editorial about Tedisco

"...He is on record as criticizing the strong budget powers held by Mr. Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan.  He wants rank-and-file lawmakers to have a greater role in budget negotiations -- an idea that gained traction during last year's flurry of reform legislation but still has a long way to go."

The ghost of the Brennan Center's 20 suggested reforms lurks around the corner (only one, an end to empty seat voting was passed last year), as will the results of a Federal audit scrutinizing every penny of Medicaid spending.

2006 belongs to reformers like Tom Golisano, Pat Manning and Tom Suozzi or rebels like John Spencer and Randy Daniels. 

Insiders are panicked, expressing "But who will run?" over the growing rejection of both Jeanine Pirro and William Weld.  What they really saying is... "But no one being put up to run statewide is affirming our liberal beliefs" and it's this single-minded Rockefeller rule that has ruined competitive politics in BOTH parties, not the Conservative Party.

Liberal Republicans have never been party builders, have only won feigning conservative beliefs while voting the opposite way and have never been true populists... at least not limousine liberals.

What the panicked pundits and ideologues on both sides of this debate are really saying is that they are afraid; naturally afraid an independent candidate can't raise money, afraid he or she won't draw people out to vote.

New York politicians have to stop living in fear and cease this negative game of subtraction that haunts the halls of our State Capitol.

Manning said it nearly two weeks ago, invoking a little used but critically important belief of the late Ronald Reagan:

"If you think that personal wealth and the ability to self-fund a statewide race is the only qualification required to run for Governor, then you should look elsewhere, for I am neither a millionaire nor billionaire.

"But like Ronald Reagan, I have always believed that resources will find their way to those willing to stand by their convictions, fight for their values and offer voters a real choice."

Meanwhile, it just so happens Manning is far ahead of everyone else in fundraising -- so maybe there's more than just inspiration to Reagan's words.  The six-term Assemblyman has also earned the endorsements of four county Conservative committees and held his own in every poll. 

Important people are watching Manning's steady ascendancy and the progress of another aspirant, one left to function in a lion's den called the New York State Democratic Party.

Tom Suozzi possesses the opportunity to awaken Democrats like no other candidate has dared since Hugh Carey in 1974.

Since the Democrats are already covertly helping the Nassau County Executive, through our senior U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, Hillary Clinton may soon find herself upstaged.

She's still the main event.

As one contributor to The New York Observer's Politicker blog expressed today, following Bruno's "bombshell" about Pirro, it's gotten to the point where the outgoing Westchester District Attorney has given comfort to her enemies:

"What I want to see is a GOOD day for Pirro. Not because I am not enjoying her constant flubs, mind you. But because it would be a rare day indeed in her "candidacy" for Senate..."

A good day for Pirro will be when she frees herself of her wretched handlers at Mercury Public Affairs.

Weld Using Pataki Fundraiser

With George Pataki's key fundraising person, Cathy Blaney, on board with William Weld, News Copy is not surprised by the initial guest list -- though it's a mixed bag.

Blaney's last fundraising work, for the campaign of Ed Cox, did not fare well at all.

The only name our readers have so far noted from Weld's host committee as important is Orange County Republican Chairman William DeProspo, whose support is viewed as an indication where Governor George Pataki's backing might go.

DeProspo was a significant backer of Howard Mills in the Orange County-based Assemblyman's challenge of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer in 2004.

"We need a senator who will stand with the president, in the majority," said Orange County GOP Chairman William DeProspo as he nominated Mills, a fellow Orange County resident.

DeProspo had been joined by Minark and Erie County chair Bob Davis in aggresssively supporting Mills failed bid.

Weld Committee Includes Gay Marriage Supporter

Weld's host committee has at least one individual who won't stand anymore with the president.

Donald A. Capoccia.

New York magazine described Capoccia as a Republican real-estate developer with close ties to both Rudy Giuliani and Pataki.  He was one of the few openly gay people on George W. Bush's advisory transition team -- but then he publicly broke with the president over a proposed ban on gay marriage.

Capoccia had been part of what the the San Francisco Chronicle described as the "Austin 12."

The small band of 11 gay men and one lesbian, Republicans all, who set out more than four years ago on a highly personal crusade to reconcile homosexuals and the Republican Party, today concedes utter failure.

One is leaving the party. Another resigned his Bush administration post. Their leader refuses to talk to the media. Few will even vote for President Bush. Most feel profoundly betrayed.

The Washington Blade reported that Capoccia resigned his post with the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts after Bush announced he would support a ban on same-sex marriage:

"I could no longer continue serving the administration, given the impact of that proposed amendment on me and my family, should it ever become law."

The only elected official on Weld's host committee is former New Jersey Congressman Jim Courter, who served in the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1991 and ran unsuccessfully for governor of that state in 1989.

Schumer Backs Suozzi

THE GOVS ARE OFF AS CHUCK TARGETS ELIOT:  New York Post

The gloves are really off now.

The New York Post's State Editor Fred Dicker has the scoop on U.S. Senator Charles Schumer's discreet support of Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi against Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in next year's gubernatorial race.

Suozzi had been viewed as a potent, important but long-shot candidate against the seemingly irrepresible Spitzer.  Schumer's backing changes all that.

Now Democrats have a real choice and a competition on a scale surely to awaken many sleepy voters in 2006.

Dicker's story touches on the rivalry between Schumer and Spitzer, clearly as much one of economic and social background -- as a rivalry drawn from ambition.

It's the best political story of year, in our opinion, and the kind of insights we had been used to getting from Fred Dicker a long time ago.  Dicker had already hit a ball out of the park with his analysis this summer on Pataki's regime failing to cultivate a farm town of candidates.

Well... looks to us like Albany's Senior Correspondent and State Editor has his swing back.

Schumer's entry into next year's race as a power broker, particularly for a true "New Democrat" and conservative-minded fellow like Suozzi is no idle gesture.  This could bring about a political earthquake nationally for Democrats, including leaving Hillary Clinton with an opportunity to join New York's senior U.S. Senator... or leave herself in limbo.