So now Andrew Cuomo is too Democratic?
Briefing: Cuomo. Cuomo's office via flickr
9:24 am Jun. 20, 2012
Andrew Cuomo's teacher evaluation plan gets taken apart by the New York Post today on the news and editorial pages, but is endorsed as a pragmatic, fair compromise by the Daily News.
The plan's fate is still in the hands of Republicans in the State Senate, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg's team is lobbying legislators to kill it. (Bloomberg, who has been frustrated on many occasions by his limited ability to influence legislation in Albany, has contributed heavily to the Republican Senate majority.)
In a column in the Post, former Assemblyman Michael Benjamin says that Cuomo's impressive run of achievements is over. He argues (from the right) that after establishing his willingness to override the demands of liberal special interests in the early going, Cuomo is now acting more like a conventionally partisan Democrat, with the result that there's been no real improvement on mandate relief for local governments, fracking is being held up, and a system of teacher evaluations doesn't going far enough.
As long as Cuomo's approval rating remains where it is, and as long as the criticism that he's too Democratic stays within the confines of the New York Post, he probably won't be too bothered by any of it.
But then, you never know.
Events
Andrew Cuomo is in Albany and has no public schedule.
3 p.m. Councilwoman Gale Brewer greets students, parents and faculty at the MS 245 Computer School graduation ceremony at the Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street in Manhattan.
4 p.m. Bloomberg signs several pieces of legislation including two of Councilman Dan Garodnick's bills extending whistleblower protections, at City Hall.
6 p.m. Bloomberg hosts a reception, to be attended by Council Speaker Christine Quinn, in honor of LGBT Pride Month at Gracie Mansion.
NY-06
There's no front-runner. [David Chen]
I'll be helping to moderate a debate tomorrow at 7:45 p.m. at 71-11 112th Street in Forest Hills. [Steve Mosco]
The Post endorsed Grace Meng, saying she is a bridge-builder. [New York Post]
NY-07
"[A]nyone who gives Vito Lopez that much agita can’t be all bad." [New York Post]
NY-13
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who sanctioned Rep. Charlie Rangel two years ago, endorsed him yesterday. [Gerry Shields]
City Hall
Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Yassky wrote a column critical of Public Advocate Bill de Blasio's effort to block the mayor's taxi deal. [Daily News]
City Council
Councilwoman Debbie Rose's idea for a fare-beaters squad is gaining traction. [David Seifman]
Will the city's new parks commissioner end up like Cathie Black? [David Seifman]
Albany
Andrew Cuomo's batting average this year is way below last year's. [Michael Benjamin]
Cuomo's "dark-of-night maneuvering sacrifices students’ best interests." [New York Post]
Andrew Cuomo: "I think the Senate got a lot of blowback, pardon the pun." [Thomas Kaplan]
Cuomo, Assembly Democrats and the teachers union support a bill to limit disclosure of teacher evaluations. [Erik Kriss]
Will the Republicans in the State Senate block it? [Ken Lovett]
Bloomberg's administration is trying to kill it. [Lisa Fleisher and Jacob Gershman]
"Gov. Cuomo’s plan for publishing teacher performance ratings appears to offer just enough public disclosure to make passage worthwhile." [Daily News]
"Cuomo’s exercise room has everything from boxing gloves to a weight bench — with a giant poster of rock legend Jim Morrison hanging on a floor-to-ceiling mirror." [Don Kaplan]
Washington
A House committee may vote on whether U.S. attorney general Eric Holder is in contempt. [Gerry Sheilds]
R.I.P.
Former Long Island Rep. Norman Lent. [Dennis Hevesi]
From Capital
The former head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Nydia Velazquez, said the Romney campaign wouldn't pick Marco Rubio because they do "not want to have another rerun regarding Sarah Palin." [Reid Pillifant]
Velazquez remembers a time before she became aware that Vito Lopez was her enemy. [Reid Pillifant]
City Council transportation chairman Jimmy Vacca wants an M.T.A. train to run through the East Bronx to Westchester. [Dana Rubinstein]
City Council public safety chairman Peter Vallone Jr. got into a loud debate with a YNN host about stop-and-frisk. [Azi Paybarah]
The New Republic couldn't get Mark Leibovich from the Times. [Joe Pompeo]
Media and celebrity
Alec Baldwin attacked a Daily News photographer who took pictures of him and his fiance getting a marriage license yesterday. [Jason Fisher and Larry McShane]
A "stunning incident." [Dan Mangan, Kirstan Conley and Dareh Gregorian]
Baldwin tried keeping a low profile, wearing a white sheet over his head as he walked down the street. [Jen Chung]
As of yesterday, no files were charged against Baldwin. [Carrie Melago and Sean Gardiner]
Afterward, Baldwin went on a Twitter tirade, referencing Trayvon Martin and likening the News to News of the World. [Ivan Pereira]
"They attempted to provoke an incident + when it doesn't pan out, they say you did it anyway…#no1punchedany1" [@AlecBaldwin]
Baldwin's spokesman Matthew Hiltzik: "The photographer was clearly frustrated, pushed past the bystanders and assaulted Alec with his camera" and "There were no punches thrown, and any subsequent physical contact was simply Alec protecting himself." [Hollywood Reporter]
"Alec Baldwin Fights Back Against Aggressive Paparazzi" [ExtraTV.com]
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