No News Is No News

As a reader noted, Paul Post reported in the Thoroughbred Times on Thursday of a "delay" in the selection of Aqueduct racino operator.

"Nothing’s going to happen before the end of the legislative session on June 22," said Gary Pretlow (D-Yonkers), chairman of the Assembly Racing, Wagering, and Gaming Committee.

Pretlow made the prediction based on "history; experience with the way things go around here."

I don't really consider that to be news. Nobody in his right mind could have thought it would be done by June 22. Especially since, as Paterson's spokesperson said a couple of weeks ago, the six or seven bidders will all be fully vetted; and that, besides, the three leaders "have a lot of things taking up their time – this is just one of them.”

Do you think this will get done by the time Saratoga opens? By the time it closes?

Post does the math, which, considering the anticipated build time of over a year, and the feeling that NYRA could run out of cash by late 2010, is rather fuzzy at this point.

Governor Paterson is likely far more consumed with raising his poll numbers. I'd said a few weeks ago that I thought they'd leveled out. I meant to say something more along the lines of 'bottomed out,' but I guess leveled is more appropriate, as in, finding a level and staying there. This guy is really in the tank; check this out - the latest Siena poll has Cuomo beating him by 50 points in a primary matchup! The press is starting to report on a prospective race to replace Cuomo as Attorney General as if his running is a foregone conclusion.

The poll also noted an improvement in the standing of former governor Eliot Spitzer. It was taken however before the release of what Capital Confidential's Casey Seiler properly referred to as his cranky testimony in the investigation of the Committee on Public Integrity which led to the resignation of chairman Herbert Teitelbaum, and spawned Paterson's current effort to replace and revamp the panel.

I wanted to mention Spitzer's tirade last week and never got around to it, so I'm glad to have the excuse to link to it here. The former governor of New York just went off on Inspector General Joseph Fisch, at one point calling him "one more little Pac-Man participating in this fishing expedition." It's a stunning performance in which he repeatedly cuts off Fisch - “My time is precious, Judge. What is your question?” - and dismissively refers to the Paterson Administration as “individuals within the chamber." No cutting and pasting can do Spitzer justice here, so just read for yourself if you're interested (full transcript in PDF here).

Spitzer has come a decent ways toward his rehabilitation, with his regular Slate column, appearances on TV and op ed pages, and even public appearances with his wife. There was even some semi-serious speculation that he could be in line to head the SEC! But this shows that the guy just can't control his anger. I actually don't blame him for being annoyed that he's still dealing with the repercussions of Troopergate. At this point, it's almost two years in the past, one of the key principals was forced to resign in utter disgrace, and the other is under federal indictment. Regardless you'd think he'd learn a lesson about something from his short reign, which was already crumbing under his inability to rein in his temper before his dick did him in. He's a bit of a lunatic I'd have to say. Bruno was certainly right about that.