his lack of world-class ambition. Together, they make a sorry spectacle as New York’s Democrats prepare for what promises to be a bloody, disheartening primary campaign for the party’s gubernatorial nomination. Posted on 05/30/2002 7:41:00 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
Andrew Cuomo has trouble disguising his world-class ambition. Carl McCall has trouble disguising his lack of world-class ambition. Together, they make a sorry spectacle as New York’s Democrats prepare for what promises to be a bloody, disheartening primary campaign for the party’s gubernatorial nomination.
Mr. Cuomo’s recent behavior suggests that he regards New York voters as rubes, naïfs and just plain dopes. On the eve of the party’s state convention, he announced with well-practiced seriousness that he would not compete for the delegates’ affections because, he said, their approval amounts to a "kiss of death." Nice words for his party’s rank-and-file workers, eh? No wonder Mr. Cuomo is so unpopular with many of the party’s front-line troops. They remember how he treated them when he was his father’s chief political operative, and they now realize that time and experience have equipped him with neither finesse nor humility. He still is the same old Andrew, relentlessly focused on himself and his obsession with power. Those who stand in his way must be ridiculed or crushed.
Mr. Cuomo pulled out of the state convention because he knew he would lose to Mr. McCall. Does he really expect us to believe that he would have disdained the process if he were the front-runner? Apparently he does.
Had he taken his fight to the floor, Mr. Cuomo probably would have won the support of at least 25 percent of the delegates—meaning that he would have an automatic place on the primary ballot. Instead, he made a great show of remaining outside the process, preferring to earn his spot on the ballot by gathering petition signatures. Through this tiresome process, he will prove to us that he truly is a man of the people, a lonely outsider with no connections to those awful political insiders—except, of course, for those awful political insiders who worked with him when his father was Governor and who are now helping to manage his campaign.
How stupid does he think we are?
As for Mr. McCall, it’s hard to know exactly what, if anything, is driving him to challenge Governor George Pataki. At least it can be said of Mr. Cuomo that he desperately wants the job. Mr. McCall, it seems, would be content to win a place in history as the state’s first major-party African-American gubernatorial candidate, lose graciously to Mr. Pataki, and then fade from the scene. There is a sense, too, that Mr. McCall feels he shouldn’t have to fight for the nomination, that his years of service to the party and to New York entitle him to the nomination.
New York shouldn’t have to suffer through another go-through-the-motions gubernatorial campaign. But that’s what Mr. McCall appears to be offering.
These two flawed candidates have yet to demonstrate why New York should turn Mr. Pataki out of office in November. Mr. Cuomo offers only his ferocious personal ambition, and Mr. McCall thinks it’s his turn to be Governor. What a dismal state of affairs.
McCall may not be doing what the article says. After 9/11, Pataki is a tough candidate to beat and McCall has a future. He can live to fight another day.
The Democratic party in NY is a microcosm of the national party and its warts are more evident. Cuomo is part of the Clinton camp (and yet wants to supercede Hillary as the NY Dem standardbearer), but McCall represents the usual Democratic party interests.
From what I'm able to see, the primaries around the country are electing Democrats that are perceived as far more liberal and partisan than "acceptible" candidates who would have gotten the nomination in the past.
My state of PA is a little weird but can be said to fit this mold. Even though Casey, Jr. ran to the left of Rendell on economics, his nominal pro-life stance (and the fact that such positions came out as Casey was becoming more desperate) leads to the conclusion that the Dem primary voters were looking for the more liberal candidate, unconcerned with the one who would have more statewide appeal. This is a change in strategy -- look for it to continue.
This corrupt bastard will buy, beg, or steal his way into some powerful office. Otherwise, he might have to get a job.
Because he served in the Clinton cabinet, though, a defeat (esp. a primary defeat) is seen as a defeat for her.
I believe Clintonism is dying slowly and the polyglot interests of the Dem party will begin to emerge to divide it. The Clintons kept the party focused. It is slowly spinning out of control. The in-fighting after the 2002 elections will be a joy to watch.
It is fun. And the NY pressholes seem to have a certain dislike for him too. As to the grifter 97, yes I think he is her candidate. Her lying and predating husband gave him HUD which, well, you know that taxpayer cheating story, I'm sure....
We are talking about RAT voters here and he is ABSOLUTELY right about them.
But the dynamic is strange. Andrew wanted to be the king of NY, but Hillary is queen now. If he becomes governor, then he gets a part of the crown, which diminishes her.
And poor old Schumer can’t figure out who to shiv.
Right about now, he seems to be moving in the direction of the exhalted post of Court Jester.
And, you know, he is a putzhead. I remember when D'Amato used that phrase and they were successful in saying it was an ethnic slur (which I didn't follow at all, using a Yiddish insult, huh?). The thing is, he is the definition of "putzhead".
But just bring up gun control and the guy foams at the mouth and starts babbling like an idiot.
Nonsense. All Hillary had to do was be a Democrat to get 90% of the black vote in NY.
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