Having Manton to Kick Around

Tom Manton, the Queens Democratic leader, offered a rare defense of political machines at City Hall today: "The bosses are always there to be kicked around. If you haven't gotten any better lines beat up on the bosses. The bosses -- you've got two assemblymen here and one former member of congress for whatever that's worth -- and we think that we have some wisdom that we can impart to particularly the newer members, and that we can help."