ALBANY—Ahhh, the spoils of victory.

Let's contrast the receptions of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Malcolm Smith, who was elected senate majority leader last week, when they arrived this morning at a Family Planning Advocates rally.

Silver walked in with Dan Weiller, his spokesman, and another staffer. Smith was trailed by a flurry of photographers, a top policy adviser, his counsel, and three press aides. When he arrived at the sidelines of the event, Smith was greeting and kissing well-wishers, many of whom waited in a small gaggle around Smith. Silver greeted the members of his conference that were there, but then stood quietly listening to the events proceedings.

Smith received a standing ovation. Silver: polite applause.

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