After decades of editorial-page barking in every newspaper in the state about the cesspool Albany has become it was doubtless surprising to learn that the town's biggest scandal -- deplored on one tabloid cover after another -- was the alleged fixing of a few paragraphs, not in the fine print of a billion-dollar contract or in a pork-barrel add-on to the state budget, but in a front-page story this July in the capital's premier daily, the Times Union."

As usual, Barrett covers his subject in great detail, and includes facts that have not previously been reported and allegations that have not previously been made. The article is 5190 words long.   You should read as much of it as you can for a view that is contrarian to most of the media, particularly to Michael Goodwin's take on the case, which is also based on research and some inside information.  Both Goodwin and Barrett are honest journalists. It is remarkable how differently they see what is happening in Albany. But where they do not contradict each other, they may both be correct.

The title on Goodwin's latest column, which appears at the top of p25 of today's News, is GOV'S SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES.  It is a handy 636 words. The key paragraph in Goodwin's article is the sixth, which we quote:

"It is a shocking fall from grace, yet Spitzer has taken the pounding without seriously contesting the suspicion he is lying.  He made early professions of contrition and has tried intimidation, but has chosen not to end the saga in the one clear way open to him:  Give the public the sworn testimony it wants."

Actually, the two columns do not diverge as sharply on the facts as one might suspect.  The difference is in the authors' ascription of motivation to the investigators (so far Spitzer's own Inspector General Kristine Hamann, Attorney General Cuomo, District Attorney Soares, and prospectively a Brunonian wolf-pack). Barrett is right when he finds the principal villains in the state to be the legislative leaders, but when the Jedi knight stumbles, the Darth Vaders are ready with their long red light sabers.  (Cf. The Empire Strikes Back)

To hit the burgeoning Alien License controversy briefly, the governor continued to criticize opponents of his viewpoint, not including former Mayor Edward I. Koch whose objections were published in today's Post (p22) in a story by DRIVER'S 'ED' by Kenneth Lovett and Austin Fenner. Yesterday's Post (p7) carried GOV’S LICENSE TO SLAM GOP by Lovett; the Times on Sept. 28 (pB1) ran CLERKS BALK AT PROPOSAL ON LICENSES by Danny Hakim.

At the top of page one in today's Sun, jumping to four, you will find Jacob Gershman's analysis, SPITZER DONS PROSECUTOR'S AURA ANEW. His lede:

"After months of humble retreat, Governor Spitzer is reassuming the role of righteous prosecutor as he seeks to salvage two key policy initiatives that have drawn national attention and outcry from Republicans in Albany and Washington.

"In a speech yesterday, Mr. Spitzer swung back hard at his critics, accusing opponents of his plan to grant driver's licenses to New York's illegal immigrants and his effort to enlarge a government-subsidized health insurance program for children of practicing a "politics of fear."

"No amount of hysterical rhetoric will prevent us from doing what is right," Mr. Spitzer said at Fordham University, according to a prepared text of his speech. "I'm not going to run from this fight just because the other side decides to demagogue it."

Back to NYCivic: As you may recall, the rhetoric began with Governor Spitzer's assertion last Thursday that those who differed with him on the issue (notably Mayor Bloomberg) were "wrong at every level - dead wrong, factually wrong, legally wrong, morally wrong and ethically wrong." To an observer, it appears to be the governor whose strong language ("hysterical rhetoric" and "the other side decides to demagogue it") may be attempting to pump up the volume, perhaps as a diversion from other difficulties that face him..

To remind us that there is a real world out there far worse than Albany, look at the "Be our guest" column in today's News, just under Goodwin's column.  It is written by Senator Joseph Lieberman, now an Independent of Connecticut, and it is headed: HOW AMERICAN POWER CAN HELP BRING PEACE TO BURMA.  Read it.

#418  10.03.07  876wds