The one and only thing we asked of Spitzer... (0.00 / 0)

...was to be a clean pol in New York.

We didn't seriously believe he'd single-handedly clean up Albany. But we believed he'd at least maintain an obvious core of integrity that served as an example and rebuilt the Democratic brand upstate.

No, the Senate's gone for a long time to come. I wonder if Suozzi will go for another run; I'd be more receptive this time.

---

by: epenthesis @ Sun Jul 29, 2007 at 11:42:24 AM CDT

taking the senate in '08 will be a tough nut to crack (0.00 / 0)

but i'm not ready to write it off for "a long time to come." the thing that distresses me most about the events of the past week is that the job of taking a minimum of two seats is now much more difficult, but i don't think it's an impossible task.

the state DSCC has done remarkably well in fundraising so far. malcolm smith, who i wasn't particularly impressed with when he took over the minority leader gig, is doing many good things within the caucus and fostering a very teamwork oriented approach to 2008. i think the seats they are going to target include a number of very winnable ones. i also wouldn't rule out at least a couple of retirements on the GOP side between now and november of next year.

that said, a job that was always going to be tough given the absolutely insane gerrymandering of legislative districts in this state, an absurdly lax campaign finance regime and all the institutional advantages of incumbency is indeed going to be much harder. there's no doubt about that and bruno is already using this to raise money.

but much can happen in a year and a half. hell, look what's happened in the last 10 days. bruno could very easily overplay his hand here and there are indications already that that may indeed be the case. if bruno insists on running his own senate investigation, even as the ethics commission conducts their own, it could easily blow up in his face. a partisan investigation, conducted by a body in the complete control of one of the parties to the original dispute isn't going to impress anyone other than dicker and mondello. i also think that ditching the recent (albeit modest) agreement on campaign finance is a particularly dumb move by bruno. 

let's also not forget that bruno could and, IMHO, most likely will be indicted by the feds between now and election day.

taking the senate and enacting real, meaningful reform in albany was always going to be a tough job. this certainly makes it harder. there's just no doubt about that. but i certainly don't think it's impossible in 2008 or "for a long time to come."

It's time:the albany project.

---

by: phillip anderson @ Sun Jul 29, 2007 at 12:34:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

the state senate (0.00 / 0)

The Republicans are outraising us, and the word is that Bloomberg is gonna keep cutting them massive checks.

Joe Bruno is in an existential fight.  He's going to keep fighting Spitzer until one of them breaks.

Spitzer shows no sign of understanding that the solution to a lot of his problems is one of electoral politics and coalition building.  He can turn his fundraising power into an engine around which others can coalesce...but to date, he hasn't.  The bull-in-a-china-shop routine is getting real old, real fast, and he still hasn't made a lot of new friends recently.

Make no small plans.

---

by: demahir @ Sun Jul 29, 2007 at 12:04:57 PM CDT

you'll get no argument from me (0.00 / 0)

on the coalition building bit.

It's time:the albany project.

---

by: phillip anderson @ Sun Jul 29, 2007 at 12:51:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]