Times Seeks Manhattan Reformer
One of the few competitive primaries in Manhattan was shaken up yesterday when the Times endorsed Assembly candidate Brian Kavanagh over incumbent Sylvia Friedman, who won the seat in a special election earlier this year. In that short time, in the eyes of the Times, Friedman lost her credentials as a reformer and began "sliding too easily under the party leaders' sway."
After last week's candidate forum, I asked Kavanagh how he would differ from one of those party leaders, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. His answer came down to one word: Reform. (Here's an audio clip of his response.)
Also worth noting: Most of the elected officials in the area have already endorsed Friedman. I wonder whose endorsements count for more?
-- Azi Paybarah
Democratic Assembly candidates always talk reform til they win their first election. Then they get seduced by "the dark side " and Darth Silver!
One question, if you asked kavanagh the question, Mr. Paybarah, why does Kavanagh refer to Micah during the interview, who by the way is one of his consultants? Also, how can someone lose their credentials they have built up over 40 years of activism in 4 months? This whole thing is a little absurd to me.
Agreed. How can anyone compare 40 years of service to 4 months of campaign promises?
In the 74th AD, the NYT carries little sway. With Rosie, Carolyn, Liz, and the whole East Side backing Sylvia, the NYT falls short.
Has the NYT met Sylvia Friedman? Did they just buy into Brian's shtick?
All those political endorsements you cite are exactly the problem. Those people back Friedman to curry favor with Shelly Silver. Kavanagh is by far the better candidate.
Additionally, Friedman wasn't truly "elected", she was "selected"...by the Democratic County Committee, who are ALL insiders.
So to answer the question 'How does someone lose their reformer credentials in 4 months?' Simple. She never really had them.
Brian has created three arguments in this race:
1. He is independent
2. Sylvia is too old to do her job
3. Sylvia is under the sway of Shelly and the insiders (including her unfair selection in the County Committee)
1. No one can know if Brian is independent or not for simple and obvious reason: He has never held any elected position AND has no roots on the East Side. Brian moved to the 74th AD to run for office. He has almost no ties to the 74th AD and became "independent" by convenience - no one endorsed him. Last year he wasn't independent, he was touting Brewer and Stringer endorsements
2. Sylvia is 67, that's younger than some Elected Officials I know. Plus, Brian's argument is that he can stay in office longer and build clout - which flies in the face of his argument that we need to rid ourselves of old timers and create New Leadership
3. If Sylvia is close the party, it's because she's know and supported them through 40 years. Oh, by the way, Kaufman was supposed to win the County Committee.. and if kavanagh has any clout he would have went for it too..
Would an independent candidate use Micah Lasher? Why are all of Micah's clients abstaining from endorsing Sylvia?
Brian campaign is being run by lobbyist knickerbocker who is working for Ratner and other developers. They hire Mical Lasher who did the kiss ass Flyer for green of Freddie kissing Sharpton ass.
Brian a reformer get your head out of his ass
granny's goose is cooked!
I was on the county committee. I was not an automatic Sylvia voter, though I did vote for her in the end. The pressure from many places was to vote for Kaufman. He was Sanders' candidate and we were supposed to go that way. Sylvia did her homewirk and talked with the cunty committee members and won our votes. The point is the "pre-determined outcome" of the county committee vote that Kavanagh speaks of was not the result.
Concerning the Times endorsement, even if one doesn't disagree with the outcome, their reason for reaching it is dead wrong. If there is one politician who would not compromise her beliefs and would go down fighting rather than fall sway to anyone, it is Sylvia Freedman. Time times allowed the ends to justfy the means on that one. If they thought Kavanagh was the better candidate, I'd have liked to know why. It might have helped make a decision. This way, I can only wonder how they reached the ends they did.
If a male candidate only served four months the NY Times would say he needs more time to get things done. But, a woman, hell no.
Kavanagh's campaign is being very rude in my opinion. I really dislike the ads they are running and find them to be very disrespectful to Sylvia.
He comes across as someone who will go to any length to get elected (and from what I can tell has so far been unsuccessful in doing so) and that to me, is not a sign of a reformer.
I am the evil Darth Silver. All the elected officials fear my use of the force's dark side. You are all in for a surprise.
Like a bad guy wrestler turning "face," I will emerge on January 1st with chairman Yoda to present the good guys. Following my undercover activities during the 12 years of the evil Emperor Pataki, it will be my opportunity to utilize the information learned to wipe out all the dark side of the force together with the new leader.
no. granny's ice cream cakes are melting!
It is interesting that everyone from Carolyn Maloney to Tom Duane has endorsed Sylvia, except for Jonathan Bing.
Fascinating discussion here. I don't know the district well, but Friedman supporters need to get a clue if they think she's already run a real race by winning a February "special." I would love a citation of the last NYC candidate given the Democratic Party line by a back-room deal of the County Committee who -hasn't- gone on to win!
Any tea leaves being read as to whether the rejection of Sylvia by Curiel and Co. gives an early read on the paper's endorsement in the AG race?
After all, in addition to getting too comfy with the Speaker since taking office, Sylvia is one of the few public officials strongly out there for Mark Green. Depending on your perspective, either she's loyal to a progressive candidate she's supported for many years OR she foolishly hasn't realized that Mark's primary-winning days are done -- and attached herself to the wrong horse for one race too many.
To torture a metaphor: if the Times editorial board goes for Cuomo, Green is most definitely headed to the glue factory!
I don't think you can read anything about the Times endorsement for AG from this. They could endorse Maloney for all anyone knows. Her support of Green is a principled one (nobody is supporting him this time because he is certain to win). Most county committee selections are "back-room" deals but this one wasn't as the deal was for Steve Kaufman who was Steve Sanders chief of staff to become the assemblyman. Friedman was a rare example of a person with a core group of supporters who was able to overcome the politicking against her. She probably didn't come off that well in the interview at the Times. In the short amount of time she has been in the Assembly she has not exactly had a lot of time to do much at all let alone show "independence" from the party leadership.
The county committee process was tilted toward Sanders' protoge Steve Kaufman. You only had to see the look on the faces of Kaufman and Sanders after the vote to know that they thought they had it in the bag. It would have been comical if it wasn't so sad to see a seemingly decent public servant tarnish his career with such an unseemly display. (Not that going to work for Dennis Vacco wouldn't have done that anyway. With all of the lobbying firms up there....
Kavanagh will become a giant in Albany, a welcome new intellect and committed to real change, not just talk. The Times, Sanders (who got it right for 28 years--defying the Speaker too, when necessary), and Citizens Union have got it right. Kavanagh means change and dynamic leadership, for the district and for dramatic reform in Albany. Prediction: Kavanagh sweeps to victory and works 24/7, with attention to district needs and helping Spitzer fix the "dysfunctional" capital. This isn't about personalities; it is about the launch of a brilliant career of service. Why are people so personally nasty in these blogs? Kudos to Brian and to Steve too--for entering the fray when he didn"t have to. Nobody did it better--he knows what this job needs. Tenants in particular--thank God Brian will be there. Too much is at stake.
Kavanagh will become a giant in Albany, a welcome new intellect and committed to real change, not just talk. The Times, Sanders (who got it right for 28 years--defying the Speaker too, when necessary), and Citizens Union have got it right. Kavanagh means change and dynamic leadership, for the district and for dramatic reform in Albany. Prediction: Kavanagh sweeps to victory and works 24/7, with attention to district needs and helping Spitzer fix the "dysfunctional" capital. This isn't about personalities; it is about the launch of a brilliant career of service. Why are people so personally nasty in these blogs? Kudos to Brian and to Steve too--for entering the fray when he didn't have to. Nobody did it better--he knows what this job needs. Tenants in particular--thank God Brian will be there. Too much is at stake.
to BigRedMike (and who could you possible be? lol!) My point is Friedman was selected by the County Committee to be the Democratic nominee. Of course there was a Special Rlection. However, in this district, the candidate running on the Democratic line is virtually assured the win.
Hence: Sylvia was selected by the County Committee (mostly insider hacks) to be elected.
C'mon...I know you BigRedMike, you're not that ignorant of how things work. You knew exactly what I meant...