Bloomie and the Bean

Matthew Schuerman reports on why he'd rather have stayed in bed: "I've already complained that coffee is not being served," the mayor said, walking into a press conference this morning at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital. Then, turning to Nobel-prize winner Harold Varmus, "But coffee's probably not good for you." "Sloan-Kettering thinks so," said Dr. Varmus, the hospital's president. Further evidence of the mayor's addiction to the evil bean! (For the other evidence, read Jason Horowitz's piece in today's Observer.) By the end of the sleepy press conference, about a new biotech center on the East River, the mayor seemed disappointed that the reporters had stayed on-message. In fact, the only thing vaguely resembling a campaign plug to come out of his mouth was admitting, reluctantly ("I try not to talk about how I give money away"), that he contributed some of his wealth to stem cell research. "We'll take other topics," the mayor said. Freddy's housing plan? The Coney Island carousel? Snakehead fish? "None? Okay, thank you very much."