Spitzer, Farrell and Day 1

On the last Sunday before he starts changing everything, Eliot Spitzer was at the St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal church on Amsterdam Avenue, standing in next to state Democratic Party chairman Denny Farrell.

While Spitzer had some kind words for Andrew Cuomo (who was there too with his daughter, Cara), it was Spitzer's praise for Farrell that was striking.

It's hard not to imagine Farrell, who was elected to the Assembly in 1974, as part of the Albany institution that Spitzer will be changing somehow.

Here's what Spitzer said:

"He's a remarkable leader. He is somebody, for many of us, is one of those people we go to for wisdom. He knows a lot of history. He's lived a lot of history. A lot more than I have, I'm glad to say. But he is someone who keeps us straight. And he knows what matters..."

The interesting thing is that Spitzer has been able to carry the "everything changes on Day 1" message while praising, and working pretty closely it seems, with many of the institutional players in Albany.

-- Azi Paybarah