Ben Smith

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. - Reporters were mostly only half-listening moments before Hillary Clinton's eyes welled up with tears in a coffee shop here early this afternoon.

It was another of the increasing number of hour-plus gatherings put on by her campaign, and the majority of the reporters were scrolling around on Blackberrys or reading the newspaper or whispering to one another about the ubiquitous but somehow unmentionable Chelsea Clinton.  read more »

At this morning’s press conference, Michael Bloomberg seemed to put a damper on talk that his administration will get any more involved in the issue of Rudy Giuliani’s practice of billing obscure city agencies for out of town travel expenses.

In response to a reporter’s question, Bloomberg said, “When the comptroller, back in the beginning of '02, sent us a letter questioning some of that, we sent it off to Rose Gill Hearn who runs the Department of Investigations and it would be up to her to do anything. I haven’t heard anything since, so I don’t know that she necessarily thinks there is anything to it.”

Mike Huckabee's value to Rudy Giuliani has been well-documented. But the relationship is a two-way street - something Mr. Huckabee made clear on national television on Sunday.

Toward the end of a 20-minute interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week," Mr. Huckabee was essentially given a free shot at Mr. Giuliani, asked to assess the Rudy's claim that the accounting procedures that resulted in security expenses for trips with his then-paramour being billed to the city of New York while he was mayor had been "perfectly appropriate."

Mr. Huckabee could easily have piled on, either overtly or with subtlety, but instead he offered a rather rousing defense of Mr. Giuliani, framing the story as the product of overzealous, context-ignorant reporting.

"I thought it was a cheap-shot at Rudy," Mr. Huckabee declared. "There's no point in trying to dig through what his security detail did, unless they can specifically say that he personally ordered something.  read more »

Oops! Former Observer reporter Ben Smith, who now has a blog for The Politico that's a favorite of campaign junkies, wrote a post earlier today about this "independent pro-Hillary site," which offers to pay people $1 for every pro-Hillary comment they post online. He declared the site "the worst idea of the cycle."

Problem is, the site's a parody -- as posts like this one, on the benefits of dictatorship, or this one, which urges supporters to put Hillary bumper stickers on strangers' cars, make clear.

To be fair to Mr. Smith, many other people, including some of his own commenters and a blogger at DailyKos, also fell for it. He's since posted an update acknowledging the mistake.  read more »

"It is completely false that I have anything to do with the Giuliani campaign," said Daily News chairman and publisher Mortimer Zuckerman.

On Jan 24, Politico's Ben Smith published a PDF of Rudy Giuliani's 127-page campaign dossier, a secret battle plan. Smith had also reported on the brief while working at the Daily News earlier this month.

In the document, Zuckerman is listed in the "Prospective Leadership" category, alongside NewsCorp chief Rupert Murdoch and several captains of industry. And Zuckerman is also penciled in on Giuliani's October calendar. (Incidentally, Zuckerman's name does not appear in the Daily News' Jan. 2 cover story.)

"How my name got on the list, I don't know," Zuckerman said.

But did the Daily News not publish the full document on their own Web site because Zuckerman's name appears on the list of targeted donors?

"Nobody made the decision not to publish it, other than a normal editorial decision," said Zuckerman.

Daily News Editor-in-Chief Martin Dunn is away this week, and Senior Executive Editor Robert Sapio did not return calls for comment.

When Politico first published the Giuliani dossier, private phone numbers were listed, too. They have since been redacted.

"I've been called a number of times," said Zuckerman. "I think the technical term is pissed off."

-Michael Calderone

John McCain's chief strategist says he can't get over the publication this morning of an incredible Giuliani campaign document that was apparently lost by one of Rudy's operatives and obtained, inconveniently enough for the former mayor, by Ben Smith of the Daily News.

"There is nothing in there that is particularly surprising to me other than the nature by which it became public," said John Weaver, a senior advisor to McCain.

Referring to Giuliani's private sector business, Weaver said, "I thought it was a security company."

About the major donors listed as targets in the document who have since signed on with McCain, he said, "Senator McCain is honored that so many key fund-raisers and activists are encouraging him to run, and they would be at the top of the list for anyone running for president, whether it be McCain, Giuliani, Romney, whoever. We feel both fortunate and honored that they have chosen us."

The primary lesson, according to Weaver: "Don't put pen to paper."

The detailed plan was, according to Ben's exclusive account in the Daily News, obtained from "a source sympathetic to one of Giuliani's rivals for the White House."

-- Jason Horowitz

John Spencer responded this morning to the front-page story in the News, in which he is quoted at length talking about Hillary's physical appearance, ("You ever see a picture of her back then? Whew,") and predicting defeat for fellow Republican Jeanine Pirro. Less than a day after practically introducing himself to New Yorkers on television, this is surely not the best way for Spencer to ingratiate himself to the state's voters or G.O.P.

And so Spencer, who complimented Hillary during the debate as a potentially "tremendous" presidential candidate, kicked into damage control mode this morning. He said on the WABC radio program Curtis and Kuby (audio on its way) that Ben, who reported the story, didn't hear him correctly. (Ben was sitting right next to one seat away from him, and said he typed Spencer's words directly into his omnipresent Blackberry.)

"It's so ridiculous that Ben Smith the blogger sitting next to me on an airplane, who quite frankly, made statements that I surely wouldn't repeat about other candidates in the race. He was in a giddy mood making statements, so I think in his conversational mind with a jet engine blowing in his right ear, uh, we had a rambling conversation about the sixties. That's what our conversation was about and how he came out with those ridiculous fabrications is beyond me."

Ben said he stands by his story. UPDATE: Here's that clip of Spencer. The denial seems to fit into Spencer's pattern of denying his own quotes.

-- Azi Paybarah

Pat Healy says the Assembly Speaker is asking Eliot Spitzer for help electing Democrats.

Ben Smith says Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo have mixed messages when it comes to partisanship in Albany.

Since Spitzer keeps talking about changing everything in Albany on Day 1, NYPIRG offers recommendations for the next 99 Days.

Judicial Reports hopes the city doesn't "make a habit" out of asking for written notes from political meetings.

John Riley praises the highbrow reporters who filed 15 stories about the speeding ticket Jeanine Pirro's husband got...and one story about her press conference on Medicaid.

Writing on Room 8, Joseph Mercurio says, "If the election were about the war, things would go better for the Democrats, but there is a mixed reaction on the part of voters about specifics."

Al Gore wants to replace the payroll tax with a pollution tax.

Michelle Malkin remembers the 5th anniversary of the anthrax mailings.

Greg Sargent finds one reporter with one poll who has two different conclusions.

The Observer is getting some sexy neighbors.

And pictured above is former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey, who has a lot to say.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah

Hidden behind the NYT Select barricade is a Clyde Haberman's column on 9/11 political etiquette.

"It is fine to trade stocks, and play baseball, and broadcast soap operas and even write a newspaper column. But absolutely forbidden is the normal functioning of our democracy. And they say the terrorists haven't won."

Haberman also notes that next year's primary is on Sept. 11, 2007.

Errol Louis has some 9/11 figures.

"On Sept. 11, 2001, immigration officials were using typewriters, the Federal Aviation Administration had only 12 names on its no-fly anti-terrorist list and the U.S. had just 33 armed air marshals, not one of whom was assigned to protect domestic flights."

After a singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" to show they are not partisan, Republicans and Democrats began "squabbling over the wording of a Sept. 11 resolution..."

Ben Smith thinks Hillary Clinton's "increasingly partisan, confrontational stance on national issues" is back in action, thanks to a new piece of campaign literature.

Eliot Spitzer hopes a big win in the polls will help create "a significant foundation for reform."

And Joseph Goldstein reports on a federal judge's decision to overturn a case of affirmative action because "white male employees would be the first to lose their jobs."

-- Azi Paybarah

Here is an item rescued from Ben Smith's site, which wasn't ready for the Drudging they got this morning and is temporarily inaccessible.

When Crains reported this morning that Yvette Clarke hadn't graduated Oberlin, it also reported that she'd never claimed to -- which is pretty crucial in stories like this.

As it turns out, however, she has made that claim. Her 2004 congressional campaign site, archived here, says:

"A graduate of public schools and Oberlin College - and a Public Policy Fellow at Stonybrook University - Yvette knows first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of our education system."

A spokesman for Clarke, Stefan Friedman, sends over this quote in response:

"Yvette Clarke attended Oberlin College and completed her coursework - three classes - at Medger Evers College. Case closed."

Update: Clarke is listed as an alumni in an Oberlin newsletter. The newsletter refers to a Times article that says:

"She wanted to become a pediatrician but switched gears to business and economic development at Oberlin College and did a Congressional internship in 1983."

The Daily News reports that Howard Dean said yesterday that Joe Lieberman should drop his independent bid.

Ben Smith covers primary night in Meriden, Connecticut, hangs out with bloggers; and reports that Carl Andrews used taxpayer funds to send out a series of mailings.

In case you missed it, the Sun reports on Washington Post Op-Ed team Mike Bloomberg and Jeb Bush.

-- Nicole Brydson

The Times reports Joe Lieberman makes a peace offering to Democrats the day before the primary.

Ben Smith finds there are two sides of Eliot Spitzer.

—Nicole Brydson

The Daily News reports relatives of the late James Davis are pulling their endorsement of David Yassky.

Ben Smith reports that three aides to John Spencer quit, leaving the campaign in disarray.

The Sun reports on New York lawmakers who are opposed to the Electoral College.

—Nicole Brydson

The Times reports on Eliot Spitzer's fundraising numbers, and those of the candidates trying to replace him.

Term limits come up again, via a poll commissioned by Christine Quinn.

The Daily News reports on the Spitzer family's political contributions.

Ben Smith reports on a messy meeting between Christine Quinn and Robert Morgenthau.

—Nicole Brydson

The Times reports Republicans statewide are struggling to raise funds.

The Times has a profile of Chris Owens' run in the 11th district.

Ben Smith reports that last week's ruling on gay marriage could spur action to legalize it in the legislature.

—Nicole Brydson

Ben Smith reports on Andrew Cuomo's 1199 endorsement.

The Times reports on Mark Green as outsider.

Adolfo Carrion has replaced or demoted several community board members who voted against the plan for a new Yankee Stadium.

The Sun reports that George Pataki is considering an extra legislative session.

—Nicole Brydson

The Times writes that it is Christine Quinn's chance to rein in council spending.

Denny Farrell's attack on John Faso backfires.

Ben Smith reports on Rev. Al's statements about David Yassky and Nicholas Minucci.

The Albany Times Union reports KT McFarland will stay in the Senate race, rebuffing Stephen Minarik.

—Nicole Brydson

... but is he contrite?

His statement after the jump.  read more »

-Matthew Schuerman

In the Daily News, Ben Smith asks Eliot Spitzer what his priorities are.

The Post reports that John Faso was raised a Democrat.

The Times reports Chris Jacobs contributed to Eliot Spitzer's campaign in 2004.

—Nicole Brydson

The (pro-Ratner) Errol Louis reveals Stop Yassky's identity to Ben Smith: a Fort Greene resident named Lucy Koteen.

Funny though. Had she really wanted to remain anonymous, she could have.

-Matthew Schuerman UPDATE: Koteen called us and said she was not the one behind the Stop Yassky blog. She said she did choose the name, apparently as a Blogger "identity," when she was trying to post a comment on Norman Oder's blog, which is how Errol Louis found her name. Ben Smith has since issued an update saying that the profile page did not prove Koteen was behind the website.

Over at the Daily News, Ben Smith reports that Mike Bloomberg is looking a lot like the democrats.

The Post reports that Rudy Giuliani won't be at the Republican convention this weekend either.

The Times reports despite the strength of Democrats this year, they are faltering when it comes to recapturing the state senate.

The Sun reports that John Faso is interested in Ed Cox to lead Republicans.

—Nicole Brydson

After a weeklong stint on this blog last summer, I'm back again.

"Who cares?" I can hear many of you asking, not unreasonably.

After all, it was Ben Smith who built The Politicker into a local phenomenon. It was Tom McGeveran and company who nurtured it over the last few weeks.

My only job, then, should be not to screw it up.

Some things will certainly stay the same.

As always, it will be a source of relevant and frequently updated material from me and the scary-smart Observer staff, geared towards the sorts of people whose hearts sink each time they reach the end of a Fred Dicker column.

More importantly, The Politicker will continue to serve as a vehicle for interaction with our readers, giving us the chance to tap directly into your politely-rendered collective wisdom about who to look at, what to write and when we've got it wrong.

The catch, of course, is that with the recent proliferation of New York politics blogs -- Ben remarked on it with the resigned air of a local whose neighborhood has just been overrun by hipsters -- it's going to be more of a challenge than ever to distinguish ourselves.

We accept it.

In the meantime, as I slowly recover from two years of writing about people with names like George Norcross, Sharpe James and Jim McGreevey, The Politicker may veer unpredictably. You may well read it for the same morbid reason that you watch car chases, magicians in water bubbles or a Jeanine Pirro campaign speech: it's a live spectacle that can go horribly wrong at any time.

That's fine. We're here to amuse as well as to inform.

Either way, we'll give it everything we have. All we ask in return is your continued attention, comments and tips.

Please.

-- Josh Benson

The Sun asks if the budget will strain the Mayor's relationship with the Speaker; and Tom Manton gives up his day job.

Over at the Daily News, Ben Smith writes about the Clinton-Murdoch relationship.

The Post writes that Peter Kalikow may endorse Hillary Clinton.

And the Times looks at the Sweeney-Gillibrand match up in the 20th congressional district.

—Nicole Brydson

Over at The Daily Politics, Ben Smith has a video from the Legislative Correspondent's Dinner in Albany over the weekend.

Here, Hillary spoofs her wax figure and gets an "endorsement" from Mike Bloomberg. —Nicole Brydson

Over at the Daily News, Ben Smith reports that Eliot Spitzer believes he has made peace with Wall Street; and Andrew Cuomo gets the nod from Geraldine Ferraro.

The Times reports on the Mayor's budget.

Newsday reports that MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow may have spent more time custom building a Ferrari then on contract negotiations with the TWU.

And the Sun reports on Rudy Giuliani's boost from Bush.

—Nicole Brydson

The Daily News writes about Ray Kelly and 2009; and Ben Smith reports on Rudy Giuliani's amassed wealth.

The Post reports that Council Member Andrew Lanza has been absent from the council almost half the time; and revisits the Spitzer-Whitehead feud.

And the Times wraps up the May Day schedule.

—Nicole Brydson

Ben Smith, over at The Daily Politics, has an interview with David Yassky, running for the 11th congressional district in Brooklyn.

Yassky continued on with his message that the racial issue is more present "among the politicos and the politicians then among voters," who, he believes, "want the person who will do the best job for them."

On the issue of the targeted campaign flyer posted here last week, Ben asked Yassky if he gave up a color blind high ground in a campaign with a strong racial component.

"Our community doesn't mean just the Jewish community," he said. "I don't think it gives up on the high ground more than advertising on Spanish language radio gives up on the high ground or advertising on radio stations that are thought to play more to an African American listenership, both of which I will certainly be doing and candidates throughout New York City do all the time. I'm going to campaign and bring my message to every corner of this district, literally every block of the district, and will certainly be trying to reach voters in every way we can; and some of that means trying to target to people who will be listening to a particular radio that caters to a certain ethnicity."

Later today, Ben will have a podcast with Carl Andrews, one of Yassky's opponents.

—Nicole Brydson

Ben Smith discovers that the city's Economic Development Corporation chief Andrew Alper has another love other than New York: the University of Chicago, where he is chairing a $2 billion capital campaign.

Alper closes a fundraising message for his alma mater with the words: Crescat scientia; vita excolatur! Our sentiments exactly.  read more »

-Matthew Schuerman

Ben Smith reports that Jonathan Greenspun is moving on to Mercury Public Affairs, leaving his unofficial post as the Bloomberg administration's liaison to the Jewish community.

His departure, of course, comes only a few weeks after the protests in Borough Park. In the aftermath of the demonstrations, many people in the community said they felt they had less access to the Mayor than they did under Giulliani and his chief of staff and Jewish liaison Bruce Teitelbaum.

On the other hand, Bloomberg hasn't had to make the concessions that Giuliani and Teitelbaum granted in exchange for political support from the Hasidic community.

If Bloomberg indeed goes with Tolbert, that could be taken as another blow against quid pro quo politics.

- Jason Horowitz

We apologize to Serena Torrey for missing last night's forum on third-party candidates, which New York Magazine, vis-a-vis its current package, is trying to market as the "purple party."

Especially since Ben Smith, who as a staff of one over there is still more mobile than our temporary Politicker staff, got in and got that already-known-yet-totally-fun-to-totally-confirm tidbit out of the evening: Hillary's Running for President!

Ben says:

There's a famous, convenient superstition in Clintonland that you don't look past the next election. Clinton pollster Doug Schoen, happily, isn't the superstitious type, and delivered an unusually blunt assessment of Hillary's 2008 plans and prospects at a New York Magazine forum on an imagined third-party movement* last night at the New School.

What'd he say?

"She undeniably is a 50-50 chance, at least," to be elected president, he said. "Senator Clinton...has the luxury of being able to position herself toward the center as time goes forward...[leaving the] opening and opportunity on the left wing of the [Democratic] party."

Schoen went on at some length on the topic; see Ben's blog for more.

Then again, third-party symposiums are symptoms of early days in an election. Aren't they? We hope?

- Tom McGeveran Note to comments section: We will link to Ben's blog when we want you to read items there. It's not "awkward" or "weird" or "surreal." Nor does it mean you're reading "the same stuff" on both blogs. It means: we're linking to another blog. Not unheard of. Just to clear that up. You need to read this item, so we're linking to it. Maybe you already read it? Then you're well-read! Congratulations!

An aide to Governor Pataki clarified the situation on the Yankees and Mets stadium: the combined $150 million is still in the budget. But the budget had the appropriations down twice, so the Governor vetoed one set of them, as a reader of Ben Smith's blog suggested.

The Governor is also committed to seeing that Atlantic Yards get the full $100 million coming from the state, the aide said. That means that, in addition to the $66 million budget appropriation, Pataki will make up the difference by applying some of his discretionary funds to the arena-and-housing complex or through other means.

So much for fiscal belt-tightening.

-Matthew Schuerman

Over at the Daily Politics, Ben Smith rounds up the 11th congressional district fundraising numbers that have just been filed.

One additional tidbit on Yvette Clarke's filing: she has two committees. New Yorkers for Yvette D. Clarke, which has $64,248 in debt; and Clarke for Congress, which raised $96,925 in the January through March period, but spent $60,904.48, leaving her with $36,020.52 cash on hand.

—Nicole Brydson

Ben Smith points us to this Capitol Confidential item: William Van Slyke, former flack for Pataki, is now working for the Healthcare Association of New York State. There, he has no difficulty ripping his former boss up over healthcare vetoes.

Ben's take: That's how you can tell Pataki's a lame duck.

- Tom McGeveran

Ben Smith has AG candidate Charlie King's new ad up here.

The first reviews from commenters on The Daily Politics aren't good.

In other AG water-treading exercises, Jeanine Pirro's Web site looks like it re-launched yesterday. (Are we wrong about that?)

Medicaid fraud gets top billing, just above sexual predators, a rather more grisly forte to tout, and a little less "of the moment." - Tom McGeveran

Ben Smith points us to a sober, matronly moral accounting of the whole affair at Orthomom.

Here's my question: When did the Orthodox and Hasid world of Borough Park get on the wrong side of the law? When, and how (politically) did these people who were so well-in in the Giuliani administration become targets of the police?

And, are we aiding and abetting the forces of discord if we point you here? NYPD Rants may or may not be a blog by police officers. But reading it gives you a sense of how they feel on the job about different communities, Orthoworld included. It isn't pretty.

Sample:

They stink and they all look the same..am I profiling? you bet!!!!

- Tom McGeveran

So, Ben Smith is now up and running over at the News. There's even a headshot, which I hear Ben's Hollywood agent supplied the Daily News after it failed to land him a cameo on the The West Wing. (Ba-dum-dum!)

Seriously, folks. There's already been a ton of suggestions, comments and "preemptive abuse" in the comments section, which I'm sure he wouldn't have any other way. Keep at him--what doesn't kill Ben Smith only makes him blog more.

One commenter has already asked what's happening with the Politicker. The kinds of people who can handle this crowd don't grow on trees. In fact we've managed to pluck someone--and it's someone you'll know--but at the risk of being coy, I can't tell you who quite yet. (Initiate guesswork in the comments section, please!) Soon, soon.

In the meantime, Nicole Brydson and Jason Horowitz, whom you know, and Lizzy Ratner, whom many of you will know, will try to keep you fed over the next couple of weeks, and I'll just sort of be quarterbacking and administering the thing.

Who am I? I sort-of convene another blog on this site, The Real Estate; and I've worked closely with Ben and Terry Golway and our political staff over the last five or so years.

Be kind. We're still raw and new to the web world, blinking in the harsh light like tiny bunnies. But do keep reading. And send us little news pellets.

When Ben started the Politicker, we were amazed how few tried to follow his lead. Surely, we said, there's an appetite for more of this stuff?

Now you've got both Ben Smith and the Politicker. So we can double your pleasure.

Good luck, Ben, and, Hello World.

- Tom McGeveran

David Paterson was just on Fred Dicker’s show, pushing back against a couple of things written about him on The Politicker and in the Observer.

His basic case, which I more or less plead guilty to, is that reporters are over-obsessed with facts.

"There’s a difference between accuracy and memory," he said, saying out that he spent a lot of time in Harlem growing up and has a reasonable claim to having grown up there, as his official biography stated for a while. He said the report was "unfair to my parents" who had sent him to school on Long Island because that’s where the public schools would accomodate his disability.

In any case, in the fact-obsessed vein, I apparently have to correct a line from the item about Paterson’s plan to cut child support, reported yeterday.

His aide told me Paterson withdrew the bill; Paterson repeated that on air today -- "We immediately pulled the bill" -- then revised. "We just didn’t reintroduce it," he said.

He said the bill, as written by an unnamed staffer, was "slanted too much in favor of allowing too many fathers to get out of their responsibilities" and "went way, way, way beyond what I wanted to do."

Also, a little parting shot:

"I tripped a kid in the playground when I was 12 and the Observer and Ben Smith are going to do a story on it next week," he added.

Is that FOILable?

So my old employer, The New York Sun, has stolen away Politicker contributor and former New York Press reporter Azi Paybarah.

My only consolation is that I've obtained a copy of the memo from Sun managing editor Ira Stoll:

From: Ira Stoll

Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 2:30 PM

Subject: New employee

I'm pleased to announce that Azi Paybarah will join the Sun starting Wednesday morning as a staff blogger and news reporter focusing on New York city and state politics. You may be familiar with his contributions to Ben Smith's Politicker blog at the New York Observer Web site. He is one of the editorial team who left the New York Press when Harry Siegel resigned; at the time Azi was the Press's City Hall bureau man. Please join me in welcoming him to the Sun.

Aargh. Um, I mean, "Good luck, Azi."

Message to New York Observer: Get Ben Smith his own laptop. Thanks.

From: Bob Spencer To: Ben Smith Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2006 1:08 PM Subject: you do not matter

When will you guys in NYC realize that you do not matter anymore. You can contribute to percentage to a losing side in national elections but the candidates and elections are chosen by the south, southwest and Midwest.

Your arguments seem so strong to people in NYC but just don't carry weight where it matters.

Your electoral votes keep declining every decade.  read more »

Keep talking. It is fun to listen to your thoughts but you just don't matter anymore.

(This was, of course, in reference to this week's piece on Chuck and Alito.)

Hillary’s History   To the Editor:    read more »

Hillary’s History

To the Editor:  read more »

To the Editor:    read more »

Jessica Bruder and Ben Smith examine the first blows dealt Jeanine Pirro and note that, behind Sen. Clinton's stoic refusal to engage her adversary directly, her campaign machine is alive... and kicking.

Phoebe Eaton joins Giff Miller on the campaign trail in Southeast Queens, where his forays - from chatting outside Western Beef to singing amidst the holy rollers - illustrate his role a minority candidate of sorts, looking to "adopt himself out to any ethnic neighborhood that might appreciate his progressive-Democrat intentions."  read more »

And Billy Sternberg writes about his grandfather, Maurice Bloch, a rising star in 1920's city politics whose career was cut short, and suggests another mystery to deepen the Judge Crater case.

Virginia's spokesman, Nick Charles, sent over a response to our suggestion that she has committed to spend the same money twice.

We like the title:

Spending the Budget Surplus -- Rebutting the Ben Smith Blog

Here's what they have to say:

"Paying Down Debt

"We proposed spending $600 million per year if fiscal conditions permit- $400 million for debt reduction and $200 million to put additional capital spending on a pay as you go basis.

"Affordable Housing

"We proposed annually producing 10,000 new units and restoring 8,000 more. One thousand of these units would be created through mandatory inclusionary zoning. The remainder would cost about $900 million annually. However, this is offset by about $100 million from the Battery Park City surplus. So, the net expenditure is $800 million annually.  read more »

"Savings from the Debt Service reduction and Medicaid cost containment that we have proposed would total, conservatively, $400 million by 2009. So, our housing proposal would have a net cost after these savings of $400 million annually.

"Bottom Line: The total net cost of our debt reduction and affordable housing initiatives would be $1 billion dollars annually, well within the amount of recent budget surpluses. We are not spending the same money twice."

In yet further confirmation of our (okay, Ben Smith's) theory of the Washingtonization of New York politics, Team Freddy Ferrer announced today that it has just hired former Kerry spokesman Chad Clanton as the campaign's new P.R. maestro.

And they sound pretty pleased about it.

According to a press release, issued this afternoon by the Ferrer campaign, Mr. Clanton not only "played a critical role" in helping develop the Kerry's camp's notoriously sluggish (oops, we meant lightening-fast) rapid response operation, but he's also "run campaigns" with those grand pooh-bahs of Washington insiderdom James Carville and Paul Begala (who was also, apparently, Mr. Clanton's professor at the University of Texas once upon a time.)

The press release continues: "In 2002, Clanton managed the Alex Sanders for U.S. Senate campaign in South Carolina. And during the 2000 presidential campaign for Al Gore, Clanton ran the communications operation in Michigan for the Democratic Coordinated Campaign."  read more »

The Ferrer camp's big Beltway hire comes, of course, as the Bloomberg campaign continues to buy up every spare political operative in New York City who hasn't been nailed down. And even some who have.

So welcome to New York, Mr. Clanton. We'll see you at Mayrose.

Welcome to the New York Observer's political blog, The Politicker.

We'll be posting a few times each day with reporting, tips, links, and observations on New York's political scene. The Mayor's race will be a central thread, but we'll also be looking at Hillary and Chuck, Eliot and George, and the wider scene. As you can see, we've been up and running since November with a handful of readers. We may launch more formally soon, after some technical tweaks, but as of today we're up and running.

Today, we think you'll enjoy Mike Bloomberg's story about his caddy. A couple of other early items still worth a look:

-What Bloomberg's been overheard saying about running for governor. -When Charles Barron plans to pull out of the mayor's race.  read more »

Ben Smith has been doing the blogging. Marcus Baram is editing the Politicker. And Lizzy Ratner will be making her presence felt as well.

Tips, suggestions, criticism, (and did we mention tips?) welcome.