Results tagged “governor”

After months (years?) of speculation, former mayor Rudy Giuliani is not going to run for governor—but will set his sights on the Senate seat now occupied by Kirsten Gillibrand, according to various media outlets that spoke to anonymous sources.

Former New Jew Governor Jim McGreevy — who resigned from office in 2004 after a homosexual affair — is training to become an Episcopal priest. Take it away, New York Post: "'Gay American' Jim McGreevey is spending his Sunday mornings with a new man — Jesus."

Gov. Paterson has called for the Legislature to return to Albany on Nov. 10 to deal with the state's woeful budget situation. And he means business, saying yesterday, "They'll come back and we'll stay there until we get it done." When the Daily News asked Paterson's spokeswoman if he'd resort to calling weekend and holiday sessions a la during the coup, she said: "The governor expects the Legislature to return to Albany for a special session to address the current year deficit." No word on whether or not he set the Nov. 10 date in case of a game 7.

Mayor Bloomberg and former mayor Rudy Giuliani are becoming buddies on the campaign trail, but they're rivals when it comes to baseball. The Mayor and his predecessor are squabbling over coveted seats in the box beside the Yankees dugout at the American League Championship Series, according to Page Six, which reports that the competition for "front-row supremacy" on Friday will be almost "almost as exciting as the contest on the field." We're not so sure about that, but it's certainly interesting in light of the fact that Bloomberg declared that Giuliani would make a good governor at this week's mayoral debate.

[UPDATE BELOW] Governor David A. Paterson's facial hair is no more. Days after meeting with President Obama (amid rumors that Obama requested him to leave the governor's race), Paterson has bared all on his face, losing his celebrated mustache before New Yorkers really got a chance to get to know it. The dramatic change was revealed when the governor arrived this morning for a meeting with state leaders.

Rick Lazio, best known for losing against Hillary Clinton in 2000 when she ran for Senate, has officially thrown his hat into the 2010 New York gubernatorial ring. After a few months of speculation, he sent a letter to supporters this weekend, "The present government in Albany is broken. It is a national embarrassment. It can’t be fixed by tweaking it here and there. It is dysfunctional and we need to start all over from the beginning." Of course, the 800-pound gorilla in the Republican sphere is Rudy Giuliani, but there's some rumor he might be better suited running against Kirsten Gillibrand. When PolitickerNY asked Governor Paterson what he thought of Lazio's announcement, he said, "Since I'm not seeking the Republican nomination, and this is a democracy, I would say that's a good idea."

Finally! After nearly a year and a half of speculation, former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani is considering to run for Governor of New York. Now that the top ranks of the NY State Republican party are shuffling, the NY Times reports, "Mr. Giuliani has told associates that he will decide on a candidacy within 30 to 60 days, as he weighs whether he can be elected statewide and what impact another campaign would have on his business interests." Rudy's had talks with various Republicans in state, Democrat- turned-Republican- turned-independent Mayor Bloomberg and Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island)—King told the Times, "Several times, he said to me that he sees state government similar to where New York City was in 1993: out of control. So many people are saying the state can’t be governed, which is what everyone was saying about the city then. In Rudy’s mind, this is a challenge."

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani finally 'fessed up and told us what we all suspected: He is totally thinking about running for governor next year. On CNN's American Morning, Rudy at first said, "I don't know if I am or if I'm not" running for governor but then said, yes, he was "thinking about it." But Giuliani added, "I don't know if I'm at the point of seriously considering it. It's a little too early." In recent polls, Giuliani does well, winning over Governor David Paterson (but those same polls show him losing to Attorney Andrew Cuomo) and last week he suggested that we call a Constitutional Convention since we're in this State Senate mess—and had some not terrible ideas. Well, if Giuliani brings his 2008 campaign team to the table next year, it should be fun! Especially if people take him to task for his past weirdness (unlike Morning Joe's Mika Brzezinski).

If you're going to discuss South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's South American wanderings to his married girlfriend, why not enlist the expert insight of another governor whose reign ended when he admitted to an affair with a man—and that he was a "Gay American"? The Today Show snagged former NJ governor James McGreevey to comment about Sanford's mess—clearly, Eliot Spitzer passed.

Politico tackles former governor Eliot Spitzer's recent forays back in the public and declares, "If there’s a textbook for scandal-scarred politicians on the art of the recovery, Spitzer has surely read it; if there isn’t, he might consider penning one." A Democratic consultant, Celinda Lake, explains, "The American public really believes in second chances [as long as you] don’t argue with them about the fact that you are guilty — and you pay a price," while Republican strategist Mark McKinnon says, "The truth is, voters are actually pretty forgiving. As long as you fall on your sword, crawl over broken glass and wear black for a year." Eh, maybe, but Hookergate aside, there was still Troopergate.

Rudy Giuliani popped up once again this week, to chat with Glenn Beck (on April 1) about attorney generals going after financial firms and to chat about the opening of the new Yankee Stadium on Good Day New York.

Sometimes its best to let the tabloids do what they do best—shower us with groan-worthy old man puns. Today the Post reports that Governor Paterson's proposed 4% tax on internet porn downloads is "rubbing the porn industry the wrong way." Not to be outdone, the Daily News, in an article titled, "Tax Proposal Awaits Climax in Albany," promises "this is the best tax you ever had." The Post even gets a quote from porn star Shawna Lenee, who opines, "We've had an adult industry in this country for decades, and now they want to tax us because of a deficit. That's not at all fair."

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been bringing his case—and his head of thick hair—to NYC media outlets. He hit up Good Morning America, where he told Diane Sawyer that he considered appointing to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. The impeached governor whose trial begins at noon (no, he won't be there) explained that he realized "she probably wouldn't take it, and then if you offered it to her, how would you do it in a way that wasn't a gimmick to embarrass her." He also quoted Kipling again. Blago is also appeared on the Today Show and will head to The View (!!!!) and Larry King today. It's unclear how Blago's trial will go, consider his lead defense attorney dropped out, but senior Senator from Illinois Dick Durbin was not amused by the governor's NYC media blitz: "That’s the governor’s choice as to what he does with his time, but Barbara Walters is not on his jury."

It's been 14 years since Mario Cuomo left the Governor's Mansion, but he still hasn't taken time out to sit for his official Governor's Portrait. According to the NY Times, while successor George Pataki's portrait will be unveiled next year, Cuomo is a bit more modest. He "suggested he found the whole idea pompous. He also said he had no patience for posing: 'I went to electric razors so I would not have to look at myself in the morning.'" But the State is impatient --and may chose a image of Cuomo that might not be flattering to avoid having a "12-year blank" in the gallery of governors past. Illustrator Thomas Fuchs offers some illustrations of Cuomo in the style of Warhol, Mondrian, Picasso and R. Crumb, and CityRoom is welcoming readers' submissions of Cuomo portraits, too. Slightly related: Even former NJ Governor James McGreevey has his official portrait!

Rudy Giuliani was spoke at a conference in Dubai over the weekend (perhaps commanding his $100,000+perks speaking fee) and perhaps kicked off his campaign for something. What that is, no one knows, but when asked about 2012, he said "No one knows whether you'll do something again until you come to the point of: 'Is it possible to do it again? Would you have a chance of winning?' I mean those are just things you can't evaluate right now."

Paterson's starting to crack. The accidental governor's days often begin by hearing attack ads on his clock radio alarm clock, and he tells the Times, “I’m sensitive. My feelings can be hurt.” The ads criticize Paterson for his budget cuts, often with "ominous piano music, a stentorian narrator and a clear villain." That would be the governor, who inherited a big deficit sandwich when he took office. After reading the article, one can't help but wonder if he's cut out for this: "Every time I hear a piano now, I think the next thing someone’s going to say is that ‘It’s David Paterson! Devastating cuts! Children are going to go hungry!’... I’ve had to establish in the past couple of months that I’m not the substitute teacher. I’m the new teacher.” So stop leaving thumbtacks on his seat before he flips out and makes us all put our heads down on our desks!

You knew it would come to this: Spitzer paramour Ashley Dupré is trying to parlay her infamy into regular fame with a career in reality television. Her lawyer says the former escort has “prospects for many exciting new projects” and she's headed to Hollywood. Though “a rep” for Dupre (presumably one rep on a team of many) admits she doesn’t quite have a TV deal yet, E! News is reporting that a dating show may be in development: "They are talking to MTV about Ashley being the next Tila Tequila." Anyone else relieved to have absolutely no clue what that means?

After rumors of Mayor Bloomberg eying the Governor's Mansion in Albany in 2010, a Quinnipiac poll reveals that NY State voters wouldn't mind a billionaire governor. Out of 1,388 NY voters, 30% said they like the idea of Governor Bloomberg.

Add another high-profile politician to the list of people who don't want to run for governor: Senator Hillary Clinton's spokesman Howard Wolfson tells the NY Times rumors of a gubernatorial future are "ridiculous...There are no circumstances under which Senator Clinton will run for governor."

Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has emerged from his upstate seclusion and now has his nose back to the grindstone--this time in the private sector. There was no need to polish his resumé, however, as his new boss is his father. Bernard Spitzer, who is 83 years old and suffering from Alzheimer's, amassed a half-billion dollar real estate and money management empire during his career.

Perhaps realizing he's best received as a leader in a time of crisis and disarray--and no stranger to cheating on his wife while in public office--former Mayor Rudy Giuliani may offer himself as a candidate for governor in the case Governor David Paterson has to step down.

was published this past winter (and a new one is already on the horizon).

Former NJ Governor James McGreevey confirmed that he, his now ex-wife and a former aide had threesomes together. McGreevey sent an e-mail to the Associated Press, "This happened, this happened in the past, and now we need to move on with our lives."

Just because Mayor Bloomberg has denied running for governor in 2010 doesn't mean it has to be true! The Sun's Davidson Goldin thinks that for Bloomberg, "Running for governor is likely, and becoming more so."

Thank you, NY Times, for updating us on the activities of George Elmer Pataki. Although Pataki has been out of politics, he still spent $1.4 million from his political action committee on "Broadway theater tickets, gatherings at the Yale Club and payments to political loyalists and advisers."

Yesterday, a christening ceremony was held in a Louisiana for the latest naval ship bearing the name USS New York. While there have been five other ships with the same name, this "amphibious transport dock ship" was named to honor the state after September 11.

The MTA unveiled its 2008-2013 Capital Plan, which explained almost $30 billion will be needed to improve mass transit and complete projects like the Second Avenue Subway, the East Side Access plan and more by 2030 (many of those projects will also be delayed). Though the current MTA capital plan doesn't expire until next year, the MTA presented this plan because the state congestion pricing legislation required them to present a plan by the end of the first quarter of 2008.

Ralph Nader will be making another third-party bid for the Presidency in the 2008 election. The consumer advocate - and bane of many Democrats - made the announcement this morning on Meet the Press.

The NY State Legislature has long been considered the most dysfunctional state government in the country, and NY Sun has a great article giving weight to that statement: "The Empire State's Legislature employs more people than any other state legislature in the nation." Well, all that dysfunction has to be enabled from someone - or many someones!

Mayor Bloomberg spoke out about the unofficial results from NYC's primary night undercounted votes in 78 districts. These districts' unofficial results raised eyebrows because no votes at all were recorded Barack Obama.