Jacob Gershman

 

Here’s a video of the now widely-noted moment (Albany Times Union headline this morning: "New leader, new promise: Paterson shows humanity, humor during first comments") when Jacob Gershman of the New York Sun asked David Paterson--during the press conference in Albany yesterday--if he had ever patronized a prostitute.

This morning, the New School hosted a panel discussion on whether Eliot Spitzer can regain his political capital. (The answer is already looking quite different in light of yesterday's special election.)

Some highlights:

Panelist Wayne Barrett of the Village Voice said "hallelujah!" about yesterday's results and said Democrats should be given a chance to control the entirety of state government.  read more »

Eliot Spitzer, shifting from the Day 1 Everything Changes motto, said yesterday, "It takes a bit more than one budget cycle to get us down to the spending levels we want."

"The record-high, $123 billion budget deal neither reforms nor reshapes," according to Fred Dicker.

At a press conference yesterday explaining the budget, Spitzer was "stumbling through answers to basic questions," according to Jacob Gershman.

But the budget does move the state towards reform, which was Spitzer's goal all along, according to Newsday's editorial board.

Lawmakers and the public should be given a chance to study the budget, according to the Times Union editorial board.

Rudy Giuliani and his wife will be interviewed by Barbara Walters tomorrow.

Giuliani, who was endorsed by Steve Forbes, backed the idea of a flat tax-- something he opposed when he was mayor.

Mike Bloomberg said the timetable approved by Congress for withdrawing troops from Iraq was "untenable."

Hillary Clinton was endorsed by the National Organization of Women.

A person who told a witness in the Sean Bell shooting to keep quiet was arrested.

The former Brooklyn judge on trial for bribery had some Machiavellian advice about power and perception.

35 Nassau officials will lose their take-home vehicles.

And voter fraud is a myth, according to the Brennan Center's Executive Director Michael Waldan and Justin Levitt, an attorney there.

-- Azi Paybarah

" Well, she can't say she's focused on 2006 anymore," writes Newsday's Glenn Thrush of Hillary Clinton.

Democrats win the House but the Senate is undecided. Hello, recount.

Chuck Schumer is hailed for his efforts to take over the Senate.

Overall, last night's gains by Democrats nationwide were a loud message for the president.

And governor-elect Eliot Spitzer's job now, according to Fred Dicker, is a "war" with the Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

Jacob Gershman looks at some of Spitzer's likely legislative actions in his first 100 days.

Winning doesn't end the speculation about Alan Hevesi being replaced.

In fact, Bill Hammond has the script for how it should happen. Literally, a script.

Long Island Republican Peter King held off a challenge by Dave Mejias.

Vito Fossella also made it.

NY1 News has unofficial election results for the local statewide, Assembly, state Senate and other races.

A statewide look at New York's congressional races is here.

Here are national election results for all the House and Senate and gubernatorial races.

Official election results will be posted here in a couple of days.

-- Azi Paybarah