Fuzzy Wuzzy Forced To Budget More Time For Theatrics

The MTA already pulled the save-the-school-band card. Now everyone else wants to make sure the animals aren’t furloughed:

In yesterday’s State of the State address, Governor Paterson described New York’s economic situation as “perilous.” His proposed budget for the 2009–10 fiscal year poses huge cuts across the board — no sector is safe, from the Department of Education to the MTA. But one of the largest cuts comes at the expense of treasured cultural institutions: the city’s zoos, parks and aquariums, which face a possible 55 percent cut in their funding — and a total elimination of funding in 2010.

The Bloom Is Off The Berg

I buy it.

How Sheekey Of That Guy . . .

It’s no wonder people are resigned to having Caroline Kennedy as their next senator when you hear what’s going on behind the scenes on her behalf:

When a powerful labor leader picked up the phone this week, he was surprised to hear the voice of a top aide to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York.

The aide, Kevin Sheekey, a deputy mayor, made it clear: Caroline Kennedy is going to be the next senator from New York, “so get on board now,” according to a person with direct knowledge of the call.

As Ms. Kennedy’s unusual campaign for the seat takes shape, the mayor’s top political strategist is pushing hard behind the scenes for her, with Mr. Bloomberg’s blessing.

The involvement has helped immediately elevate and coordinate the debut of Ms. Kennedy, who lacked an experienced political staff of her own.

But now, it is setting off a backlash among some Democrats who see in her well-orchestrated emergence the same message of inevitability and entitlement that surrounded Mr. Bloomberg’s successful bid for a third term — a campaign overseen by Mr. Sheekey.

They worry that the Bloomberg administration’s advocacy for Ms. Kennedy will only reinforce her image as a privileged Upper East Sider whose biggest base of support is from Manhattan’s exclusive social set.

“It appears to be another case of central casting by the city’s cognoscenti,” said a Democratic city councilman, John C. Liu. “It’s amazing how much it’s all about the upper crust.”

Rory I. Lancman, a state assemblyman, said that there was “a growing concern that high public office is being reserved for a better class of people — people who can buy into it like Michael Bloomberg or people who can come into it through their celebrity like Caroline Kennedy.”

. . .

Questions about Mr. Sheekey’s role prompted Mr. Bloomberg to declare on Wednesday that the mastermind of his two political campaigns was acting on behalf of Ms. Kennedy as a private citizen, not as a public employee.

“If Kevin in his private time wants to make calls for that, that’s his choice,” Mr. Bloomberg said. When asked whether he was supporting Ms. Kennedy’s bid for the Senate, the mayor said: “I am not out there campaigning for anyone.”

She’s Got Sharpton — Reachin’ Out, Touchin’ Me, Touchin’ You!*

Although it does seem like the Reverend is lowering the bar for what passes as qualified when it comes to being a Senator:

Since the possibility of Ms. Kennedy’s candidacy for the Senate has, understandably, already generated a fair degree of debate and discussion, I feel compelled to state that I unequivocally disagree with those that say she is not qualified and could not bring needed leadership to this state and country. My knowledge of her in the area of education and on behalf of children generally, the fact that she has written several books[**], and her other civic involvement more than qualifies her to be Senator. Ms. Kennedy is an accomplished author on Constitutional Law, the Bill of Rights, and political courage. She is also a lawyer.

Elected office is not the only area of public service that establishes leadership in this country. We just elected a community organizer as President of the United States.

Harriet Miers was a lawyer, too! Oh, never mind . . .

On the one hand, it seems like it could be smart to have someone outside of politics hold the seat for a few years until an actual election happened with actual candidates who actually had to campaign for votes. But on the other hand:

In addition, a person with direct knowledge of the conversations said that Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Paterson had spoken several times in recent days and that the governor had grown increasingly fond of her. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid antagonizing the governor, said that Mr. Paterson also had come to see Ms. Kennedy as a strong potential candidate whose appointment would keep a woman in the seat and whose personal connections would allow her to raise the roughly $70 million required to hold on to the seat in the coming years.

Under state law, Ms. Kennedy would have to run and win in 2010, to finish out the last two years of Mrs. Clinton’s term, and again in 2012, to win a term of her own.

Another person who had advised Mr. Paterson said that Ms. Kennedy could offer political advantages to the governor, who was elevated to his position after Eliot Spitzer resigned in March and in two years must ask voters to actually elect him as governor.

“The upside of her candidacy is that the 2010 ballot will read Kennedy — Paterson,” said one of those advisers, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the governor’s thinking. “David craves national attention and money. If you connect the dots, it leads to her.”

Look at it this way — voting in New York has always been an academic exercise. At least now they’re finally getting rid of the pretense . . .

*Even creepier than it sounds.

**Which books? Glad you asked.

Tony Avella For Mayor

So if it’s just Tony Avella running against Bloomberg, maybe we should take a closer look at the Councilmember. Here’s what we know:

• He’s obsessed with animals, perhaps to the exclusion of other, uh, more pressing issues
• His public profile sometimes rises to a level of grandstanding, but perhaps not overly so . . .
• . . . in part because the grandstanding is often principled, or at least principled sounding
• That said, anyone who is against foie gras is kind of weird, and it would be stupid to have that become part of the Avella bully pulpit
• And yet . . . there’s something I like about someone who is willing to crack down on unwanted fliers and menus; that’s problem solving!
• And he does seem willing to take on the mayor when it’s appropriate . . .

OK. I’m sold. Tony Avella for Mayor. Go Tony, go! (But note that this is not a mandate! If you try to take away our foie gras, know that we may have to pull a Jesse Jackson on your ass.) (And a note to other potential candidates: following the mayor’s recent behavior, there are probably a lot of us who can become cheap dates.)