Ken Langone

Here is Michael Bloomberg holding court with a few people at the Four Seasons in midtown before a roundtable discussion to outline the mayor's priorities for the city.

The white-haired guy to the right is (former?) Eliot Spitzer nemesis Ken Langone.

The annual "Card Luncheon" is when Bloomberg tells city elite about what he thinks they should ask for when political folks knock on their door for contributions.

Barbara Walters is there.  read more »

Suozzi began the day attacking Eliot Spitzer. He ended it in an argument with Charlie Rangel.

Rangel, stepping nimbly into the role of Spitzer attack surrogate, sent a sharp letter earlier today to Suozzi demanding that he reject the political and financial support of Ken Langone, who said recently compared national Democrats to lunatics in an asylum.

"While Mr. Langone has been very good to you financially, it seems to me that he supports the immoral war in Iraq, the culture of corruption among Republicans in Congress, the deficit, and the failed political policies of the Republican leadership in the White House and in the Congress.

"I call on you to return the money he has given you in the past, to express your support for a Democratic takeover of Congress and to renounce any further support from Ken Langone for your campaign. In particular, he should be removed from the host committee of your July 11th golf fundraiser."

Suozzi responded with a letter of his own saying that he "fundamentally" disagrees with Ken Langone when it comes to preventing Democrats from taking back Congress. But he also had some carefully measured words for Rangel, which he cleverly transitions into another attack on Spitzer.  read more »

Congressman Rangel, I have always respected your ability to move your agenda while understanding the practicalities of campaigns and politics. Candidates and their supporters do not always agree on every issue. I am sure that Eliot Spitzer does not agree with his supporters on every issue.

Eliot Spitzer supported the Iraq War, which you opposed. Eliot Spitzer supports the death penalty, which you do not. Eliot Spitzer supported New York's version of the Patriot Act, the federal version of which you opposed in Congress. Eliot Spitzer litigated the Campaign for Fiscal Equity Lawsuit on behalf of Governor Pataki, against your position and the interests of your constituents.

- Jason Horowitz

The chairmen of Schenectady and Suffolk Counties are circulating a letter that calls on Tom Suozzi to distance himself from "Republican activist" Ken Langone.

"Denounce Mr. Langone. Tell him to stop his campaign. And give back the money. Anything less compromises you as a candidate and as a Democrat," reads the letter, a copy of which The Politicker has obtained. Suozzi, needless to say, won't denounce on command.

The letter is sort of a distraction, but here's the real problem for Tom: Langone vs. Spitzer is, for any number of reasons, a more interesting story than Suozzi vs. Spitzer. It's also probably a storyline Eliot would prefer. Suozzi, who has a separate case to make about cleaning up corruption and reforming management, is in danger of winding up a footnote to the entertaining, dramatic battle between two titans, Langone and Spitzer.

(The fact that this is being pushed by county chairmen is a smaller, but real, problem for Eliot: He's the candidate of pols, and of the Democratic establishment, and that's how Suozzi wants him to be seen.)  read more »

UPDATE: Here's the AP story, with Suozzi's response.