Randy Kuhl

Here’s the first tv ad from Democratic congressional candidate Eric Massa, who is looking to unseat one of New York’s last remaining Republican congerss members, Randy Kuhl.

It’s a short bio piece of Massa, which includes a shot of him in his white Naval uniform. (It's vaguely reminiscent of a McCain spot. And that may not be so bad in a congressional district that has 177,515 registered Republicans and only 122,538 registered Democrats.

From tireless intern Bharat Ayyar:

Congressional hopeful Eric Massa, a retired Navy commander, held a conference call with reporters this morning, and outlined his plan for veteran health care, which he says has been neglected by Washington.

“I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care,” Massa said. He added later, “Supporting our veterans is not a matter of cost. It’s a matter of political will.”

Massa, who raised an impressive sum of $298,156 during the filing period that just ended, wants to introduce legislation that would not only mandate full funding of the Veterans Administration but also permit veterans who are too far from a V.  read more »

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As Azi reported yesterday, Mike Bloomberg doesn’t seem to be a fan of the sweeping Energy Bill that President Bush signed yesterday – in particular, its mandate for an massive increase in ethanol production.

Bloomberg called the ethanol provision “an outrage” and said it would drive up food costs and “have worldwide implications on the food supply.” Ethanol, of course, is a sacred product in Iowa, the key caucus that the presidential candidates dare not offend.

So did New York’s Congressional delegation agree with the mayor? Apparently not: 28 of 29 New Yorkers in the House voted for the bill when it came up for its final vote last week (it cleared the chamber on a 314-100 vote). The lone exception was Staten Island’s Vito Fossella, who didn’t show up to vote. The bill cleared the Senate on an 86-8 vote, with Chuck Schumer voting yes and Hillary Clinton, perhaps too busy campaigning in Iowa, not voting.

In fairness, earlier versions of the bill produced slightly less unanimity. The initial version passed by the House (on a 264-143 vote) was supported by all of New York’s Democrats but only three Republicans: Randy Kuhl, John McHugh and Jim Walsh. Tom Reynolds, Peter King, and Fossella votes against it.

Here are those new 1199 SEIU ads, which target two upstate Republican congressmen who sided with George Bush against expanding health insurance benefits to uninsured children. The spots go after Randy Kuhl and Tom Reynolds, both of whom are likely to face strong Democratic challengers in the 2008 elections.

What's interesting is that this is the same issue Eliot Spitzer has been pushing and threatened to sue Bush administration over. Which, I guess, means he and the health care union he fought against so bitterly earlier in his term are back on the same page. About something, anyway.

Union spokesman Stefan Friedman said the ad buys were in the six-figure range.  read more »

Congressmen Vito Fossella, Tom Reynolds and Randy Kuhl are undecided about the resolution opposing a troop surge in Iraq.

Tom DiNapoli was the recipient of some Suspicious white powder.

Former CIA Director George Tenet has a book due out this spring.

Eliot Spitzer showed a kinder, gentler side during a budget tour near Albany.

Michael Bloomberg wants more federal money for victims of September 11th.

Newly elected state Senator Craig Johnson is on the environment, ethics and local government committees.

Does Rudy Giuliani care more about global warming than Al Gore?

JP, writing on Room 8, says today's Q poll about Eliot Spitzer is worthless.

Paris has a plan to reduce traffic 40 percent by 2020.

Chuck Bennett has a map of where exactly the 2nd Avenue subway line will go.

Even 7-year-olds are talking about the 2008 race.

And pictured above is the book Spitzer brought, and autographed for the newborn baby girl of Tom and Jackie Casey, whose home he and dozens of reporters invaded to witness a talk about the budget.