Quiz

March 25th, 2008 Heather Kovar

I want to thank Archie Schiano from the Press Club for sending me this interesting bit of history.

He sends this trivia question for our City Hall reporters.

What famous New York City mayor was once an ‘Army Brat?’

The picture below is your clue. Scroll down for the answer. 

Answer: “The Little Flower” himself, Fiorello La Guardia.

Archie says he recently re-visited the museum at Ft. Huachuca in Southeastern Arizona. That is where he got this 1896 picture that shows Pop La Guardia, an Army bandmaster, with his family.

 Fiorello, aged six, is shown with a cornet (notation F on pix). Ft Huachuca, a 73,000-acre installation next door to Sierra Vista and not far from the Mexico border, is home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School, and from here in the frontier days the famed Buffalo Soldiers rode out. “BlackJack” Pershing also rode out of here with the Buffalo Soldiers in going after Pancho Villa into Mexico in 1916. 

Thanks again to Archie Schiano.

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Paterson Comes Clean

March 18th, 2008 Heather Kovar

The Daily News got the scoop: Governor Paterson had an extramarital affair.

 Admittance of the several year liason while Paterson’s marriage was in a rocky period was posted on the Daily New’s website hours after the new governor was sworn-in.

Both Paterson and his wife both reportedly say they had intimate affairs with others during their marriage. Patterson says his lasted several years in 1999.

You know the issue has been on Paterson’s mind, his wondering how, when it came out, it would be sensationalized in headlines. Maybe this admittance was his way of finally getting the entire front page.

The timing looks good for the new governor. There is too much going on to focus on a rough patch in someone’s marriage; The Bear Stearns buy out and the fatal crane collapse both affect more people.

However, even the author of the Daily News story wrote  “All this, of course, would normally be considered part of the private life of any government official.”

But it was “private life” that forced Paterson’s predessor, as well as New Jersey’s former governor to resign.

Paterson insists state funds were not used in Upper West Side hotel trysts with his unnamed affair.

During his inauguration speech, his soon-to-be admittance had to be on his mind. I wonder if he was thinking about it when he wrote the following passage from his speech.
(Read the entire speech from the Governor’s office.)

Speaking of Michelle, I want to introduce my wife and lifelong friend, Michelle Paige Paterson. Michelle and I have a different kind of a marriage. And I learned how different it was going to be about 15 minutes after I got married. I’m sure those of you men who got married, you remember the part about saying “I do,” you remember the part about taking pictures afterwards, and then getting in a limousine, but do you remember sitting next to the woman of your dreams and all of a sudden, a little girl comes and sits between the two of you.

And I said, “Ashley, can I sit next to your mom?” And she said “No, I sat here first.”
How do you convince a 4-year-old that you want to sit next to your wife? And I tried one more time. I said “Ashley, I just got married. Can I sit next to your mom?”

She said, “Get over it, David.”

And as I tried to get over it, that little girl has grown up to be my best friend, Ashley Dennis.

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Who Is David Paterson?

March 13th, 2008 Heather Kovar

“Who is David Paterson?” was probably pondered by many New York residents as well as journalists upon hearing of the Eliot Spitzer scandal.

Yes, we know he is -was- Lt. Governor of New York. That he will be New York’s first black governor, as well as the country’s first legally blind governor. That in 2002 he was elected minority leader of the New York State Senate. And, like peterbe points out in his comment on this blog, Paterson comes from a political family. David is a first like his father, Basil, who was the first African American to serve as secretary of state in New York.

But who is David Paterson?

When Eliot Spitzer was elected, I’m sure there wasn’t a journalist in the entire state that didn’t know his name, that hadn’t covered at least one story with him as attorney general. Spitzer probably knew the majority of reporters by name upon becoming governor.

While I can’t remember quoting or interviewing Paterson before any of this, I’m sure some have. But I think for the majority of residents and journalists, we are going to have to get to know him. 

Political consultant Hank Sheinkoph, who recently spoke on the New York Press Club panel “Handicapping Super Tuesday”, is quoted by Bloomberg.com on Paterson.

“He’s able to talk to people. You’ll see a much more collegial environment.”

Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell sent her support to Paterson with a statement to the media saying “he is well prepared for he challenges ahead.”

Rell became Governor when John Rowland was forced to resign under the pressure of an impeachment inquiry and a federal corruption investigation. Here is an article that lists other successful step-in governors.

As for who David Paterson is, the test begins Monday. 

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Pictures In Place Of Paterson

March 13th, 2008 Heather Kovar

With Eliot Spitzer’s resignation yesterday, New York’s Democratic Lieutenant Governor, David Paterson, will assume the role of Governor Monday.

In a comment posted here on this blog, peterbe writes, “In its frenzy to thoroughly inspect the soon to be ex-governor’s dirty laundry the more important inspection has been overlooked by the press – who is David Paterson?”

Some might assume that the morning following Spitzer’s resignation, front page headlines would focus on the to-be first black governor of New York. But it just so happened the first pictures of Spitzer’s high-priced prostitute were released.

We all know what sells.

To be fair, we have seen articles on Paterson ever since the New York Times broke the story Monday.

Also, past the prostitute’s MySpace pics on Page Two of the Post, today Page 12 is devoted to Paterson.

Paterson did get a headline in the Times today. It’s even placed above the cropped Kristen picture. Besides, we have plenty of time to picture Paterson. Monday he will officially take office, getting right to work on the state budget. No doubt we’ll see green in the headlines, though. Since Paterson’s first big day is also St. Patrick’s Day. He just might need the luck.

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Client 9, Governor 3?

March 10th, 2008 Heather Kovar

If New York Governor Eliot Spitzer steps down amid allegations of involvement in a high priced prostitution ring, Lt. Governor David Paterson would become governor. New York would join it’s tri-state neighbors in recent gubernatorial shake ups.

Back in 2004, the governors of both Connecticut and New Jersey resigned amid scandal.Connecticut’s John Rowland over kick backs and state contracts; New Jersey’s McGreevey over an extramarital gay affair. Rowland did jail time. McGreevey wrote a book and launched a tour on Oprah.

 Spitzer, however, has not indicated whether he will resign. He claims this is a personal matter. But isn’t prostitution illegal? I’ve read first-time offenders can get by on a misdemeanor.

If the allegations against Spitzer are true, what punishment do you think a governor, a former attorney general, the protector of the people, should face? 

In the midst of an election, Hillary Clinton’s name has already been dragged into this. She stood by Bill through the Monica Lewinsky era and impeachment. I wonder what advice the former first lady would give Mrs. Silda Spitzer? Or, even a worse thought. What Chelsea might have to say to Spitzer’s three daughters.  

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Hallmark Holidays

March 8th, 2008 Heather Kovar

“From Your Capricorn Friend: Henry Miller and Stoker” and “Kerouac: Selected Letters” are two books on my shelf of collected letters from authors.  However, do an Amazon search for letters or correspondence and you get results from past presidents, socialites, nearly any older famous author you can think of, even names you might not recognize.

I’m sure currently famous authors still try to write friends, knowing what they put on paper (or email) could be saved and documented.

But for the rest of us, who essentially make a living writing because we enjoy the craft, why is it so difficult to correspond with family or other important people in our lives?

I’ve been trying to make an effort. However a thank-you note I wrote in December still sits on my desk because I haven’t found my aunt’s address. I have her email, I know, I need to ask for it, I’ll do it today.

Back in 1987, I enjoyed nothing more than getting mail. (Probably because no bills were addressed to me yet.) I had a pen pal from Buffalo and we wrote at least once a month. I have her letters, and ugh, she says she has mine. I can only imagine what high school silliness is on record. We still write. Well, she still writes. I have turned so much attention to email that I can’t be bothered to buy a stamp. Another reason that thank-you sits. My stamps are still the 37-cent stamps. What are they now, 41-cents, going up to 42 in May? Okay- so I’ll use two. I promise. I’ll mail the letter today.

I just find humor in how email and all the social websites have brought us closer and more in touch with friends, co-workers and relatives, but yet so distant. I have a little box where I keep letters. Email is deleted in a few months or so. I’m not printing and keeping those. 

And ugh. E-cards. I like those less than a Hallmark. Delete.

I’m not saying go out and buy all your friends and relatives four-dollar cards for this upcoming St. Patrick’s Day. They’re probably not even Irish.

Besides, we journalists are all so busy writing. Our words are published or broadcast and reach a wider audience than a single note card ever could.

But I’m thinking that is why a note mailed (notice I didn’t say prefabricated card) to a relative or friend, might really make their day.

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Obama Takes Papaya

March 1st, 2008 Heather Kovar

While we wait to see who wins the March 4th primaries in Texas, Rhode Island, Ohio and Vermont, Gray’s Papaya has said YES to Senator Obama.

The New York City hot dog chain previously endorsed Mike Bloomberg for President.

This sign declaring  ”free hot dogs on inauguration day” and encouraging Bloomberg, “Run Mike, Run!” got press in the New York Times and various blogs.

New York Magazine published an article about the Bloomberg sign, and how Gray’s has been political since endorsing Jimmy Carter in 1976.

After taking the Obama sign pictures, I went in for the 25-cent cup of coffee. The smiley man who served me said the sign went up Thursday. 

That would have been the day Bloomberg’s op-ed appeared in the New York Times saying ” I am not – and will not be – a candidate for president.”

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