Left Behinds: We're supposed to say smart things about New York politics

Monday, February 27, 2006

We're supposed to say smart things about New York politics

But really, what is there smart to say about this? It's dumb through and through. Suozzi has decided to run well to the right of Spitzer, opposing gay marriage and so-called "partial birth" abortions. He's getting all his money from Wall Streeters angry at Spitzer's years of kicking them in the nuts, though you usually can't be convicted of fraud if you don't commit fraud, and they can take a hike.

What I read tells me that Chuck Schumer was the whisper in Suozzi's ear that got him into the race. Schumer is clearly upset at his own growing irrelevance in New York, eclipsed by his junior senator and soon by a far more popular Governor. I will forever be grateful to him for getting rid of the odious Al D'Amato, but he needs to cut this shit out. Suozzi's campaign is a waste of a winning Long Island Democrat, no matter how shitty his politics--recruiting him to run against Peter King would have put the Dems one seat closer to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Instead Suozzi will be fucked in New York Democratic politics forever, because Spitzer has the whole state's machinery lined up behind him, and it doesn't forgive. In three years Suozzi will be a winning Long Island Republican, and I don't see how we really needed another one of those.

Tags: New York politics, Thomas Suozzi, Eliot Spitzer, Charles Schumer, Democratic primary, Thomas Suozzi

5 Comments:

At 2:40 PM, Solomon Grundy said…

Peter King is beyond odious. He's Cheney-creepy.

Anyhow, Suozzi alienated the Democratic machine years ago (as I discussed earlier). His whole career is about cleaning up Albany, which means fighting the Dem machine.

I could see him maybe becoming an Independent, but not a Republican. He comes from a Long Island Democratic dynasty and is very, very connected to the national New Dem machine.

He's had his eyes on the national stage for a while. Though he needs to clean up his goombah image for that. He's made a few faux pas (to the New York Times a month ago, most conspicuously) that have led people like Ben Smith to dub him not ready for prime time.
At 3:26 PM, Antid Oto said…

Good point about him having already alienated the Albany Democratic politicians. But as far as I know he hadn't already alienated the various New York City machines, all of which Spitzer has in his back pocket.
At 3:47 PM, Solomon Grundy said…

True dat.

But Suozzi's about Long Island, Albany, and DC, not about NYC.

Anyhow, I could be wrong about him being a turncoat, and the state Republicans have certainly been trying (you can practically see their boners in that Azi piece I linked in my post last month), but my sense is that his loyalty to his type of Dem is too strong.
At 4:15 PM, Antid Oto said…

I don't know if he can get to DC without going through something statewide (like if, say, Clinton's Senate seat were suddenly empty for some reason), and you can't get statewide in the Democratic party if NYC hates your guts. Maybe he's got a plan, but I just can't fathom one that doesn't see him jumping in bed with a very, very desperate GOP. That doesn't mean he thinks that's the only outcome of his plan, of course. Who knows what he's thinking. Maybe he really thinks he can beat Spitzer. Hell, Pataki really thinks he can be President.
At 4:40 PM, Solomon Grundy said…

Heh.

Hm, yeah, maybe he'll become a RINO, like Bloomberg. My money's on becoming an Independent, but who knows.

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Monday, February 27, 2006

We're supposed to say smart things about New York politics

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