Henry J. Stern
July 6, 2007

The last two days' newspapers have given generous attention to the escalating Spitzer-Bruno hostilities in Albany.
 
The verified use of state troopers to track Senator Bruno's movements in a State plane provides just a whiff of a police state, particularly since no such scrutiny is allegedly applied when Governor Spitzer and Lieutenant Governor Patterson are ferried around the state on the house jet.  The Post put the stories 'on the wood' on page one today and yesterday.

'On the wood' refers to the extra-large type used by tabloids for their first page stories, (e.g. WAR) which were originally composed of wooden blocks rather than set in hot type in linotype machines.  Nowadays, all that has been superseded by photo offset, but the old phrase lingers.
 
Making the most of the dispute, The Post's Thursday's headline: POLICE STATE: Gov Sicced Cops on Joe, was followed by Friday's DIRTY TRICKS, Joe Demands a 'Criminal' Probe of Gov.   Today's News put IT'S WAR IN ALBANY on top of page one, but 'the wood', or the larger headline was reserved for BEAUTY QUEEN BLACKMAIL, which is about Miss New Jersey, who was said to have been photographed in something less than her bathing suit.  The talented  Elizabeth Benjamin covers the story on pp 6 and 7, while two News editorials on p28, High-flyin' Joe and Low-lyin' Shelly, take the side of Governor Spitzer, derogating his legislative adversaries..
 
 The Post takes quite the opposite position, yesterday on p26, the editorial headline, AN ABUSE OF POWER? questioned Spitzer's actions.  The Post answered its question mark today, on p24, with ALL THE GOVERNOR'S MEN.  The title is a reference to All the President's Men, the book by Woodward and Bernstein which contributed to the downfall of President Nixon.  The inference that may be drawn from the edit head is that the Governor has abused his office.  The original reference, of course is to Humpty Dumpty, an ageless figure.
 
On the news side, the Post devotes pages 8 and 9 to the tempest.  A column by John Podhoretz, GOON GOV'S BULLY TACTICS NO SURPRISE, appears just to the left of a headline which spans two pages, OPENING GATES OF 'EL'.  The story, under a large photograph of the antagonists, is by Fredric U. Dicker, the Post's state editor, who for years has known and reported on all the characters involved in the imbroglio.   BTW, the pun in the headline of comparing the first syllable of the governor's first name to the lair of Mephistopheles is less than amusing. At least, we are not amused.  A right-hand column, entitled: "Different day, different story", could also be considered referential by low-minded lexicographers..
 
To indicate that this is a serious matter, the Times today, on B1, from Albany, via Danny Hakim and Nicholas Confessore, reports THE FEUDING BY BRUNO AND SPITZER TURNS BITTER.  The lede: "After three months of what has seemed like constant fighting, Gov. Eliot Spitzer on Thursday called his antagonist, Senator Joseph L. Bruno, and asked for a meeting.  Like everything else between the two men, the meeting invitation is now the subject of a disagreement.... The meeting never happened, and the two men are continuing to feud after Mr. Spitzer's staff suggested Mr. Bruno may have improperly used State Police escorts and helicopters and Mr. Bruno then suggested that Mr. Spitzer was spying on him."
 
DIGRESSION: People have the right to choose their own names, but when joint by-lines are used, it looks better when they are in sync.  Nicholas (Confessore) and Danny (Hakim) sound like an adult and his child.  Nicholas and Daniel would be professional, or Nick and Dan, or Nicky and Danny. We support autonomy in nomenclature, but consider the dissonance these diminutives engender.  If  his real name were Danny, that would be another matter.
 
The Sun's account of the disharmony, SPITZER-BRUNO RELATIONS REACH NEW LOW, by Jacob Gershman, appears on p3.  Newsday devotes all of A5 to THE ANGER IN ALBANY. A column by Dan Janison, provides an informative account of the history of the dispute, and its potential linkage to some of Spitzer's widely-publicized actions as attorney general.  A box, War of Words, contains juicy quotes by the disputants. An  Associated Press story completes Newsday's coverage.
 
The conclusion of today's Post editorial is somewhat condescending: "We would urge {AG Cuomo and DA Soares] to accommodate both the governor and Bruno.  A thorough investigation is in order; the sooner it is complete, the sooner Albany can return to its normal (sic) state of dysfunction.  Indeed, it is with some irony that we note that Spitzer's pledge to "change Albany" upon becoming governor seems to have been redeemed. It's more bizarre than ever.”

What is our opinion of Bruno-Spitzer dispute, which appears to be gravitating into the toils of the law, usually an error.  It  was hard to write a coherent essay on this peculiar subject, so we limit ourselves to a dozen  relatively brief observations.
 
1. Bruno v. Spitzer makes Sheldon Silver look like a dignified public official..
 
2. The thought of Andrew Cuomo as an impartial referee would have been inconceivable six months ago.  But as one man's reputation sinks, another's rises.  This would be a test of his fairness and judgment.

3. I would not call in Albany County district attorney David Soares under any circumstances, he would indict both combatants if he could..
 
4. The Governor and the Leader are both flying around with state planes, crews and cops, taking them to political meetings, with state business thrown in as a fig leaf.  Comptroller Alan Hevesi was merely accused of taking a car and driver for his sick wife, although he may have committed other offenses which would have justified his removal..
 
5. Men and women in high office should conduct themselves with respect, courtesy and gravitas in deference to the positions they occupy, if their own self-esteem is insufficient for them to control their behavior.  They should not use vile and obscene language, at least not in public, nor should they threaten anyone with physical harm, unless they are physically attacked.  If people act like fools, that is the way they will be regarded..
 
6. When a middle-aged man gets into a fight with an old man, people will tend to sympathize with the old man, especially if he is a less important person.  When a very rich man gets into a fight with someone who is merely comfortable, people will identitfy with the poorer man.   If both are rich, earned wealth tops inherited wealth.  Married wealth is least respectable
Two marriages for money are the pits (not a New York reference).

7. How can the most high-minded crusader for truth and justice expect to secure the adoption of reforms which require the consent of lesser men and women,  if the reformer acts and speaks in such a manner that he can be depicted (unfairly of course) as a tyrant?
 
8. The mission of a press secretary should be to calm the waters and defuse criticism of his boss, not to pour fuel on fires.  His or her  job as to keep the boss out of trouble, not to create or magnify disputes. If an attack dog be required for certain indelicate tasks, set him some distance from his master, surely do not place him on the same floor..
 
9. Legislation is not necessarily 'reform' just because that is what it is called.  The same applies to what is called 'pork'.
 
10. When any official behaves like a spoiled child, he is disappointing the people who voted for him.  They want a man with the ability to lead and inspire confidence, not just someone with whose positions they agree.
 
11. The governor did the right thing in trying to reduce waste  in  the budget; he should not be intimidated or bargained into submission on this issue.  
 
12. If you think is Bruno is bad, think of how much agita a Democratic majority leader could give the Governor, especially if the senate leader becomes the catspaw of your new (post-January) best friend, the Speaker.  At least, Joe Bruno will not  primary you in 2010.  And if you believe in the two party system, what offices, if any, should the other party hold?

Conclusions:  Character is destiny.     Rule 19: Be kind to man and beast.       Mene mene tekel upharsin.


#391  7.06.07  1387wds