Hyatt Corporation

Here's a shot of Barack Obama from one of his fund-raisers in NYC on Friday, courtesy of a reader who attended one aimed at young professionals at the Grand Hyatt.

Another reader who attended a second fund-raiser for Obama at a different ballroom in the Grand Hyatt noted the Obama-JFK connection there was tangible, even if the pins and bumper stickers were not.

Introducing Obama at the event was was JFK speech writer, special adviser and alter-ego, Ted Sorenson. According to the reader, "he hit on what are definitely their talking points - they say he doesn't have experience and yet look who did have experience -- Cheney and Rumsefeld and look where experience has gotten us. What's more important is leadership. And since he was Kennedy's guy he was able to really hammer home the Kennedy/Barack connection (there was another man who they said was inexperienced 47 years ago, who they said was born with the wrong kind of heritage to be President."

The reader also noted that the last guy Sorensen was really excited about was Gary Hart.

But there was only one thing lacking from the fund-raiser.

"People were buzzing about the fact that there were no Obama pins or bumper stickers -- "Kerry events always had a lot of schwag."

--Azi Paybarah

Barack Obama needs more people for his March 9th fund-raiser in New York.

Which either means that the response was overwhelming -- organizers say they've changed the event's location to a new, bigger space in the Grand Hyatt Hotel to make "room for more people," and, of course, for more money -- or that it wasn't quite overwhelming enough.  read more »

After the jump is the email, composed and sent out by New York Magazine spokesperson Serena Torrey.

--Jason Horowitz

Billionaire Karen Pritzker, heiress to the Hyatt hotel fortune, has expensive lodging tastes.  read more »

Barack Obama's first events in New York City since announcing his presidential run will be on March 9, according to one of the event organizers, Arthur Leopold.

The first is a pricey get-together (suggested contribution: $1000-$2300) at the Grand Hyatt from 6 to 8 p.m. The second is a less formal gathering of supporters at The Grand for only $100 a head.

-- Azi Paybarah

Here's an invitation to a February 15th dinner at the Grand Hyatt honoring Eliot Spitzer. Notice that it's hosted by the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee.

After yesterday, which Spitzer said was a "turning point" in his relationship with the legislature -- he marked the new era by threatening to support primary candidates against sitting Democratic incumbents -- I think it's fair to wonder if he's still planning to attend.

I'm waiting on word back from Spitzer, the Assembly Speaker's office, and DACC and the state Democratic Party.

-- Azi Paybarah

Speaking of Chuck Schumer, here, after some ado, are a few passages from his new book.

"One of the open secrets in Washington is that senators of the same party and same state rarely get along. Hillary and I are both ambitious hard working politicians who occasionally step on each other's toes. We have had out high point and our low points. But we have the bonds of my campaign in 1998 and hers in 2000 that are unique to our relationship."

The book starts with some curious little tidbits. For example, Schumer, aka Mr. 1600,reveals that in 1964, as a 14-year-old, he worked the mimeograph machine for Stanley Kaplan of the eponymous SAT prep course and that he nervously munched on "Cold calamari and oversized cookies" in the Hyatt Regency Washington on midterm election night. At Harvard, he originally planned to be an organic chemist and, much less surprisingly, what he looks for in a restaurant is a place where the "food is good and not very expensive."

(Hillary Clinton will be throwing Chuck his book party in his favorite haunt, a cheap Chinese restaurant in D.C.)

As far as the future of the Party, Chuck was not satisfied with the Democratic takeover of the Senate.

"Our victory was well deserved, but the Democratic Party still needs a new paradigm," he writes. And Schumer thinks he is just the person to provide it. His key to perpetual victory is encapsulated in the title for Chapter 2: "It's the Middle Class Stupid."

Chuck talks at length about Joe and Eileen Bailey, the middle class family he has conceptualized and who he feels should be the Party's target voters.

They live in Massapequa and are both 45. He's an insurance agent and she works in a doctor's office. They have two cars in the garage, are worried about terrorists, heath care property taxes and college tuition. They are infrequent church goers and "politically, they are up for grabs."

One of the reasons he recruited Casey over significant opposition, he said, is that "Casey was the guy who best represented the Joe and Eileen Baileys of Pennsylvania."

Chuck says that he was at first reluctant about taking on the head job at the DSCC.

"The DSCC job is not necessarily a plum assignment. It's like being elected resident of your condo association - someone's got to do it. It requires a lot of travel and a lot of time dialing for dollars.

"The number-one reason that I decided to take the job was because I worried that if we had another bad election, if we lost another two or three seats, it would be over...The Supreme Court would take this nation backward 130 years."

The major cause for the 2004 electoral losses, Schumer says, was losing touch with middle class voters.

"We were competitive among the middle class - voters with household incomes between $30,000 and $75,000 - only because of near- unanimous support among middle-class African-American voters. Meanwhile, among white middle-class voters - a third of the electorate - Bush beat Kerry by twenty-two points. Twenty-two points!"

"We needed to do a better job of reaching the middle class, regardless of ethnicity, and, whatever we did, we could never ignore African-American voters."

Schumer attributes the decay of Hispanic support for the Democratic Party in 2004 to their increased incomes, which put them more in the middle class that he thinks the Democrats were ignoring.

The rest of the book targets the more wonkish reader, and consists of Chuck's "eureka moments" about how to "increase reading and math scores by 50 %," how to "reduce property taxes that fund education by 50%" how to "increase the number of college graduates by 50%," how to "reduce illegal immigration by at least 50% and increase legal immigration by up to 50%" "reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 50%" and how to reduce cancer mortality, abortions, tax evasion, child obesity and access to child pornography by 50 percent.

--Jason Horowitz

At 8:30 a.m., the new United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, will speak at an Association for a Better New York Breakfast at the Grand Hyatt .

At 8:45 a.m., Mike Bloomberg will meet with Jeb Bush and School officials on Chamber Street.

At 10 a.m., the Assembly's Environmental Committee holds a hearing in Albany.

At 3 p.m., the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation discusses "SI Conference 2007" at the Borough President's office.

At 7:30 p.m., U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks discusses immigration issues on a conference call with reporters.

Also at 7:30 p.m., S.I. District Attorney Dan Donovan, will speak to Brooklyn Young Republicans.

-- Azi Paybarah

Hillary Clinton, looking relaxed, arrived at the Grand Hyatt and took the stage at ten after nine a.m. Charlie Rangel, filling time while she was delayed, had eventually veered off on an impassioned speech on how history would remember the wars. "During this horrible period in this nation's history, what were we doing?" he asked. "What did we say? Did we protest?"

Mrs. Clinton had been delayed by traffic. She said she'd been flipping through the paper over the weekend and had found something she wouldn't normally read. She said she had learned that "Mercury is in retrograde, whatever that means" and had been thinking of that as her little caravan had inched along.

She thanked Mr. Rangel for filling the ballroom's dead air. "I love Charlie Rangel," she said. "I'll say it. I'm sure I'll be on the front of some tabloid tomorrow."

-- Choire Sicha

Charles Rangel, giving a little speech this morning at the Association for a Better New York breakfast while a full crowd waited for a tardy Hillary Clinton in the Grand Hyatt ballroom, made a full apology for his recent trashing of Mississippi.

"For all of you from Mississippi, I'd like to extend my deepest apologies," he said. "I promise I'll visit as soon as I find a food taster. My brother David Dinkins isn't available."

-- Choire Sicha

Which business titan would back the sherrif of Wall Street?

A reader knowledgeable of the business community in the City shared their thoughts on the list of Corporate Leaders for Spitzer, which was unveiled at a small press conference in the Grand Hyatt yesterday.

The list includes:

--Roger Altman A close confident of Hillary Clinton, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasurey, and someone whose private equity firm, Evercore Partners, just went public.

--Alan Patricof A fundraiser for Hillary and a Democratic operative

--Michael Carey Former Governor Hughe Carey's son who was fired by the Bloomberg administration. The younger Carey wanted to be the president of the city's Economic Development Corporation, and Bloomberg's people said no.

-- John Dyson Deputy Mayor for Economic Development under Rudy Giuliani, and is now an active fundraiser for the Brenan Center (the people who called the state legislature "dysfunctional" and the worst in the nation.)

--Blair Effron An active Democratic political operative who probably played a role in brining together the entire list of Corporate Leaders for Spitzer.

--Robert Pitman Sold AOL to Timewarner

--Lewis Ranieri Along with Alfonse D'Amatao, was almost removed from the board of CA Inc., after a scandal-plagued era at the company.

--Steve Rattner Head of Democrats for Bloomberg, and one of the deep-pocketed Democratic contributors who closed his wallet to Freddy Ferrer's campaign.

--Richard Ravitch A Bloomberg supporter who went to war with Dan Doctoroff and City Hall to block the West Side Stadium deal.

--Wilbur Ross Ex husband of George Pataki's first lieutenent governor, the one who famously refused to sit down during a state of the state address.

--Henry Silverman Pataki's appointee on the Port Authority, whose company has had some legal trouble.

-- Azi Paybarah

In a small room in the Grand Hyatt this morning, Eliot Spitzer unveiled his Corporate Leaders for Spitzer team, which includes some of the biggest Democratic donors and fundraisers in America.

Later today, he's going upstate to get the endorsement of business group, the Buffalo/Niagra Partnership. All the business-related events were happening now, Spitzer said, because of scheduling. The fact that his Republican opponent is trying to make an issue of Spitzer's Wall Street record, he said, had nothing to do with it.  read more »

A full list of the Corporate Leaders is after the jump.

-- Azi Paybrah

I wonder if John Mark Karr, that strange bloke who falsely claimed to have killed JonBenet Ramsey, r  read more »

I wonder if John Mark Karr, that strange bloke who falsely claimed to have killed JonBenet Ramsey, r  read more »

Tom Suozzi just left a rally at Lafayette Square in Buffalo -- about two blocks from the Democrats convention center -- where he continues to work the only line of attack left open to him.

"Albany is sticking it to us and we are getting the short end of the stick," said Suozzi, campaign manager Kim Devlin relayed to us. "And," Suozzi said, pointing at the Hyatt, "Eliot is showing that he is sticking with them, but I'm sticking with you."

Devlin said the crowd went "crazy."

But Suozzi doesn't have the insider/outside stunt to himself: U.S. Senate candidate Mark Greenstein is also working crowds outside the convention center, planning an appearnace at 4pm at the Bijou Grille "just 2.5 blocks from the Hyatt."

—Jason Horowitz Update: Ben has a photo of that "crazy" crowd Kim Devlin was talking about. She must have meant they were going crazy on the inside.

For years I never dined, discoed, mingled or frolicked without getting thoroughly smashed.  read more »

Tomorrow morning, Crain's Business Breakfast Forum features John Faso at the Grand Hyatt.

Then, Anthony Weiner and union officials discuss security at Wal-Mart stores on the steps of City Hall.

Students, faculty and staff of the New School will hold a press conference protesting the selection of John McCain as commencement speaker.

Christine Quinn is scheduled to attend the opening of a new Asian Americans for Equality Community Center at 141 Norfolk Street.

In the evening, the Republican Jewish Coalition will host KT McFarland.

Community Free Democrats, Ansonia Democrats and Park River Independent Democrats will host a candidates forum for the Democratic candidates running for Attorney General.

And tomorrow is election day in Newark, where Cory Booker will close out his day at the Essex County College Gymnasium.

—Nicole Brydson

Tonight, the Brooklyn Young Republican Club hosts Bill Weld (his first stop in Bay Ridge).

Tomorrow morning, Christine Quinn addresses the Crain's NY Business Breakfast Forum at the Grand Hyatt.

Then, Riverkeeper announces their intent to file suit against Entergy Nuclear Northeast because of an alleged radioactive leak at Indian Point.

In the afternoon, Local 32BJ workers march from 79th Street and Fifth Avenue to 83rd Street and Park Avenue for a contract.

In the evening, Democracy for NYC holds a Monthly Mixer, and Stonewall Dems and Drinking Liberally present Drinking Liberally Steps Out.

—Nicole Brydson

Tomorrow morning Tom Suozzi addresses a New York Building Congress forum at the Grand Hyatt; and the NYC Campaign Finance Board meets at 40 Rector Street.

Then at noon, students and professors at Columbia University begin a 24 hour reading of George Orwell's 1984 as a protest to NSA wiretapping.

Grassroots activists supporting Hillary Clinton for President gather for the first 2008 New York City Meet Up.

And you can debate the tax code at the CUNY Grad Center.

—Nicole Brydson

In the morning, Eliot Spitzer speaks at the Women for Spitzer Breakfast at the Grand Hyatt.

Then, Al Sharpton's annual National Action Network Convention kicks off at the Sheraton with a panel discussion, "Are Blacks Projected Fairly in the Media?"; and Colin Powell speaks to students at Harlem's Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change.

In the evening, IND hosts a candidates forum for Brooklyn's 11th district candidates at the Kane Street Synagogue.

DL21C holds its election series kick-off event with Eliot Spitzer.

And Senator Liz Krueger speaks at a panel on new voting machines for New York State at the Community Church of New York.

—Nicole Brydson

Tomorrow morning, Congressman Tom Reynolds, Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, will be introduced by Mayor Bloomberg before he addresses the Association for a Better New York breakfast at the Grand Hyatt New York.

Then George Pataki, Bill Weld and John Faso will speak at the Business Council's annual Small Business Day event.

In the evening, Kevin Powell, candidate for the 10th congressional district in Brooklyn, will host a fundraiser at the Canal Room, while Chris Owens, candidate for the 11th congressional district, also in Brooklyn, hosts a fundraiser at Lounge 201 in Washington, DC.

And the Greater Voices Candidates' Forum will take place at the LGBT Community Center with all the Democrats running for Attorney General.

—Nicole Brydson

AIMEE: Brian and I arrive in Maryland for a whirlwind day of wedding planning: Our all-important first stop? Popping by the Dorchester County Courthouse in the tiny town of Cambridge to get ourselves a marriage license. With my parents in tow, Brian and I wander in and a cheery clerk named Patty greets us: "People who get married in Dorchester County stay married!" she proclaims. "So where will it be? Oooh, the Hyatt is gorgeous. Oooh, I love your ring!" Patty runs through as though we're already old pals.

After getting all our necessary information, Patty disappears into a backroom and returns a few minutes later with the license, fancy script, colors and everything.  read more »

"Now, bride, you sign here," she says handing me a pen. She starts humming: "Hmm hmm hmm-hmm." (It's "Here Comes the Bride.") She continues serenading us while Brian scribbles his signature. My parents applaud!

What happens when, on the very same day, New York Social Diary and Page Six run items that interlock in a quite fantastic manner?  read more »

Since our friends at The Politicker seem to have fallen asleep on that tempting Hyatt carpet, The Transom will gleefully announce that, as of 3:05 a.m., the transit strike is on.

Of course, we couldn't be more excited about the strike, a feeling not much shared in other quarters of the paper. Here are the principles on which we endorse, nay, celebrate this nascent strike:  read more »

1. Poor people stay in their own boroughs and do not clutter up nice boroughs. 2. Really, really easy to get hot guys into our capacious East Village apartment tonight. 3. Principles. 4. Those bloody loud whistley kneel-ey buses that sound like a parody of a child's choo-choo train. 5. Fight the power. 6. Looking forward to flashing the special New York Times buses that will depart Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights for 43rd Street beginning at 7:30 a.m., and the one that runs down Broadway and stops at 145th Street, 110th Street and 96th Streets in Manhattan. Also you might like to know that anyone with a NYT ID card can get on those buses, and how hard can those be to fake up?

The rest of ya, enjoy your bike rides to work. Current temperature: 23 degrees.

The Politicker's Grand Hyatt correspondent reports that MTA spokesman Tom Kelly has told reporters that the agency's last offer was rejected, and that the union chiefs have left the building.  read more »

Mike also stopped over at the Hyatt to speak at the Metropolitan College of New York's 41st Anniversary Gala, where he had some kind words for the evening's honoree, New York Sun editor Seth Lipsky.

"Seth and I don't always agree on everything," said the Mayor about Mr. Lipsky, who was beaming in his black bowtie. "He's a really smart guy and he knows a lot about this city. You picked wisely to have him as an honoree."  read more »

No doubt Mike thought Lipsky had picked wisely by awarding the mayor his paper's endorsement.

Dawat, the venerable Indian restaurant on the Upper East Side, has a new next-door neighbor.  read more »