GregNYC @ The City

These are a few of my favorite things...

2006-12-30T11:45:00.000-08:00

Don't you love when Bush (I don't call him President because that would mean I have respect for him and I have absolutely none) is voted this past Year's biggest Villian ahead of Satan and Osama Bin Laden. Too awesome for words! Here's the vid:

And this nugget of love from Dave Letterman's Top Ten Favorite George Bush moments. Classic! But, sadly, there are thousands of more to choose from:

Happy New Year!!!!

Merry Christmas (Hevesi Edition)

2006-12-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

With all the good political news the past two months, I am admittedly peeved at the fact that Hevesi had to cop a plea and leave office.

Anyone with half a brain knows what a kind-hearted man he is. He was helping his wife and he paid back the money. Good enough for me. Good enough for the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of New Yorker who voted for him by a wide margin. Now Shelly Silver will pick. Ugh. I guess it could be worse. It could be Callaghan in that spot or a Repug picking the new Comptroller.

What gets me is the press now saying "well, the driver drove his wife to Bloomingdales." No shit! She can' walk. Should she be cooped up all day? You think she was out wearing a $10,000 fur sipping champagne while strolling through the aisles of Bloomie's? Oy!

At least now we'll have Joe "Tattaglia" Bruno to destroy.

Anyhow, Merry Christmas and enjoy the following video (and I'll be back with a vengeance in '07 - promise):

NY Republicans so sad. Leaves nothing to ponder...

2006-10-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

I had thought, at this point in the political season, I would be maddened to the point of posting on here weekly. But, to my surprise, the New York State Democrats are doing so well - and the pitiful wingnut Rethuglicans are so pathetic - that I haven't had much to say beyond my late-afternoon comments on the usual blogs.

Pirro is a train-wreck. Faso is a lost dog. Spencer is an uber-wingnut.

I broke the Fox News labeling of Foley (D-Florida) on Daily Kos (channel surfing and quick luck) and the you tube video I posted got over 100,000 hits. Got tons of e-mails (95% positive, and the rest were typical Republican bigot spittle).

So, the next few weeks I will try to post a few times a week (for my loyal peeps). Here's a video from my new favorite thang - Corinne Bailey Ray:

John Spencer: The Freddy Kreuger Candidate

2006-08-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

While KT McFarland spends another day reeling from yet another scandal, John Spencer continues attempts to claw his way into the media spotlight.

So what does Freddy Kreuger do last week?

He juxtaposes a picture of Hillary and Osama in a commercial he doesn't even have money to air. It gets him press -- and Republicans like Al D'Amato and Dick "I suck women's toes" Morris hail it as the best thing since sliced bread.

OK - now could someone explain to me how this commerical is helping him with people beyond the estimated 10-15% uber-conservative hardcore Radical Right Republican base in the state of New York?

It doesn't. It just draws people closer to Hillary (as her latest sky-high approval rating from SUSA released a few days ago illustrates).

So from this point on, I'm referring to John Spencer as the Freddy Kreuger candidate.

Besides bearuing a striking resemblance, it juxtaposes him with a character that is nasty, unlikeable, scary, and hold beliefs that are evil.

Hyperbole?

Maybe a little. But, hey, this blog caters to the Democratic base. I'm not writingthis to win an elections, and unlike Spencer, I know my audience.

If all you do is feed red meat to you Radical Right base, and think you can win in New York State, you're not only really fucking stupid, but you're goingt o lose BADLY!

- Greg

Pirro Edging Up. Cuomo Sucks. TKA Rewind.

2006-08-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

A new Siena College Poll released yesterday confirmed what I've been saying and thinking for some time: Jeanine Pirro should not be underestimated.

The poll has Cuomo leading Pirro 50 percent to 35 percent - which is an increase from Pirro's 28 percent standing just over a month ago.

You would think Andrew Cuomo would start promoting his candidacy with sharp, well-focused advertising.

Not a chance.

He's started advertising alright, but the commercial is a basic resume sampler strung along by irritating elevator music. The ad is horrible. It lists his accomplishments (sans real prosecutorial experience) and, just when you think it will pivot into his forward-looking objectives, it ends with some vague line about how he will do the same things he's done in the past if he's elected.

What the fuck?

Cuomo throw us a bone here. I want to find a reason to vote for you. As I've said in earlier posts, show the voters your passion. Some vision. Some focus.

Pirro talks in a way that can carry Democrats (unlike the extremists Faso and Spencer), and is articulate and persuasive. Women, along with Democrats who are weary of your experience and dedication, will flock to her.

Listen to the polls. Sharpen your message and your focus. Otherwise, you're going to be in for a race that is a lot closer than you want it to be.

My YouTube selection for this post is for all you city kids who grew up in the late 80's and early 90's in areas absorbed by freestyle music. Here's one of my favorites I heard played at a bar this weekend (I think me and my friends were the only ones who knew what to make of it, while all the transplants rocked a bit in confused awkward motions).

The classic TKA - Louder than Love. An oldie and a goodie for all the Italian and Latin kids of New York City, Long Island (and Jersey of course). Big haired girls and guys in tight pleated Sergio Tacchini pants with spikey hair - ahhh, those were the days. Enjoy:

A Few Conclusions...

2006-07-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

This week I've come to a few conclusions:

1) Bloomberg values lying corporate slugs over the people.

2) Ed Skyler is a douche (the fucker says he "engaged" Gianaris to tell him not to criticize Emperor Bloomberg in his castle - fuck Skyler - oh how I wish I could have been Gianaris and told Skyler where he can shove his pencil-neck geek existence).

3) Bush's "bounce" we've been hearing about, after the killing of Zarqawi, from the Rethuglicans (and the "we need a story" media) never happened. He's still in the crapper. Been their for over a year. Worst President in history. (Chart Source: Mystery Pollster.)

Eh, Fuck 'em all.

I shall center on a better place. Here's a clip from A Walk to Remember which was on TNT Friday night. You know, that chick flick with hottie Many Moore (love her!) and Shane West. Great movie. Here's my favorite scene:

She's a Brick...

2006-07-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Slow city day and I'm in a pensive mood, so I thought I'd vent my frustration over the Senate's passage of a bill today further chiseling away at a woman's right to an abortion.

Today I was thinking of the women I've known, throughout my young life, that have had to decide whether or not to have an abortion.

Young women in their teens and twenties. Six in total. All went through with it. Life-changing.

Date-rape. Underage highschoolers. Condom broke. One night stand with boss. Pregnant while on birth-defect inducing anti-lupus drugs. Careless lovers not using contraception. And, in every case, the right decision. Complex world, yet Republicans only see things as black and white.

I cued up my Bens Fold Five "Brick" mp3 -- a powerful song about the day he took his pregnant highschool girlfriend for an abortion. You Tube version follows:

Bloomberg's Mess-O-Rama: Katrina Edition

2006-07-25T00:38:00.000-07:00

I've had a kinda like/sort of hate/kinda like/mostly hate relationship with Mayor Mike.

In terms of ideology, I undoubtedly agree with him on the vast majority of issues (much more, many would say, than the pathetic Republicans in this town who voted for him last October).

I'll even admit I voted for him in 2001 (my post 9-11 haze daze). But, last year, looking back at his first term, I always felt his focus was largely Manhattan-centric -- and I blogged about this quite often at DailyKos. After watching Mikey this week, there' no doubt in my mind I was right.

The man has been an embarrassment when it came to dealing with the blackout in Queens. He was slow out of the gate, and all his rhetoric makes anyone living in the borough feel like the red-headed step-child of the city-at-large. And, he has the audacity to compliment Kevin Burke of Con Ed on a job well done?

Are you fucking kidding me?

If I was Eric Gioia or Mike Gianaris, I would have walked off stage when Bloomberg uttered Burke's praises.

Gioia and Gianaris are the one's who should be praised for working tirelessly to get to the bottom of the lies coming from Con Ed. Instead one of the mayor's "people" gave Gioia and Gianaris a talking to and a fight ensued?

If only I could have been their. Bloomberg's lackey's would have recieved such a heated lashing from me he'd be icing his ears for the next week.

Emperor Bloomberg needs to remember he works for the whole city. Symbolic photo-ops in Queens, asking hard questions and demanding accurate answers are part of your job.

For all the ill-feelings I have toward Giuliani, he would have handled this like a real leader.

Suozzi-licious

2006-07-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

Let me first get this out of the way and say what every woman and gay man thinks when they see Tom Suozzi.

He's fucking HOT...

I know this is an area more appropriate for the Gawker pages, but after watching the feed from his appearance this morning on Kirtzman and, er, Kramer (what happened to just Co? Kramer is ANN-OY-ING) I must admit, I melted once again. Maybe "melting" is the wrong word, but for the sake of keeping this post PG-13, I'll leave it at that.

Is it the wispy hair gently coiffed, or the mini-Gorbachev-esque mole on the side of his face? Could it be the strong manly conviction he stakes out, adorned by his lispy articulation?

**Sigh**

Methinks it's all of the above...

Now concerning the campaign. Suozzi, it's time to pack it up. I understand your desire to be a maverick, but your strategy is straight out of cuckoo-land. I could point out specifics, and under any other circumstance I would, but why ruin a good slow-summer post filled with hormonally pubescent airs with tedious (and fairly obvious) critiques.

Just one thing - remember what Oprah says, "Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity."

You may have the preparation, but in this field right now, you don't have the opportunity.

Consequently, you're shit out of luck.

And, with that, Mr. Suozzi, on this hot summer day, I offer an ode that stretches deep within my (usually non-existent) inner-sappiness.

I know, cheeseball factor of 12.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. But, hey, he's just too Suozzi-licious not to.

- Greg

Pirro Best Chance for GOP

2006-06-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Jeanine Pirro may have been a nightmare as a Senate candidate, but any Democrat that underestimates her chances of winning Attorney General would be wise to rethink their stance.

I know what the polls say -- Andrew Cuomo easily trounces Pirro in a head-to-head match-up. And, as a Democrat, I will not be casting my vote for her. But, she has a certain appeal. A non-threatening Republican with a well-honed message that could sway swing voters and females who are not too keen on Cuomo.

Do I think she will win?

No. The Spitzer/Clinton headwinds will carry Cuomo. Unlike John Faso who is being framed as "far-right" (and largely ignored except for politico geek shows, local blogs and the obligatory articles in the NY print dailies) and Spencer (who is a loose cannon with no support), Pirro talks about issues many NYers care about. She's also keeping a safe-distance form George Bush's clone John Faso. More importantly, she's honed her attacks on Cuomo (many of which are valid) and speaks passionately about the issues she cares about.

But doesn't Cuomo talk about issues many NYers care about?

Sure. But for all the genetic speaking skills he may have inherited from papa Mario, he's still lacking passion in his voice. He comes across as someone who is using this as a political stepping stone. The passion and fire in every interview I've seen is not there.

Mr. Cuomo, it's time for a course correction:

Start speaking from the heart, not your talking points.

Take your top three issues and don't just state them, but develop them. Own them.

Stop speaking like the issues you plan to attack as AG are plucked from a focus group check list.

Don't let Pirro have the upper-hand abnd contine to define you (which she is doing quite forcefully). A Rose Garden campaign against Mark Green worked, but it's not the right approach for Pirro.

If you don't make some changes, NYers will see right through you. And this race will be a lot closer than you want it to be.

-- Greg

I Almost Feel Sorry For You, Mr. Faso

2006-06-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

After watching George W. Bush's latest offspring, John Faso, tonight on NY1 's Inside Politics , I felt myself dozing off repeatedly at the sound of his voice (not to mention the long-winded explanations about who pays what taxes in which brackets and on and on and on).

I felt like I was back in economics class with a right-wing Republican professor. I did manage to stay awake long enough to realize one thing:

The only issue Faso has any confidence in is Taxes and the Economy.

Does he really think this is going to work over the long haul of a campaign?

If he does, he's in for a rude awakening. Waving the "taxes taxes taxes" flag is typical Republican maneuvering. And, while no one is disputing that lower taxes are appealing, you need much more in your bag of tricks.

And Faso's bag of tricks is filled with far-right wing trash.

He has piles of votes that can be exploited. Some controversial, and others, well, not so much (but that's what good campaign consultants are for -- to make even the most benign look cancerous).

Then, of course, you have all the social issues from stem-cell research to abortion to gay rights to immigration reform -- many of which the Spitzer campaign will propel front and center. Along with areas like education and healthcare which are largely ignored under Pataki, and Republicans in general. Faso is on the wrong side of each and every one of these issues.

Yet according to Faso this election will be about reforms needed to grow New York's economy.

Oh Really?

You mean after 12 years of Pa-Pa-Pataki (a.k.a. Sleepy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) we need to elect another Republican to do what the last one couldn't?

Good luck with that...

We all know your economic dance will just be tax breaks for the rich, while spending is cut from "liberal" programs many New Yorkers rely upon to survive -- just like your friend, George W. Bush, "The Worst President Ever." Who, I might add, has an approval rating around 29% in NY State (and that's polling conducted before the Homeland Security cuts announced this week).

Mr. Faso, beloved Breck-girl of the right-wing extremists, I have news for you. You will not be defining this debate. You have , and will continue to have, a lot less money than Spitzer and you are 50 points behind in the polls.

Your best bet is hoping someone uncovers a video of Spitzer kicking a few puppies. Barring that rather disturbing scenario, your campaign will run on the fumes fueled by the media outlets that pay attention in order to satiate their need for a "story."

And, finally, invest in a voice coach. Your peevish monotone drone is no match for Spitzer's Jame's Earl Jones-esque gravitas.

I almost feel sorry for you, Mr. Faso.

-- Greg

Faso is a GIFT

2006-06-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

Democrats throughout New York should be elated that Faso was endorsed as the Republican Gubenatorial candidate. Let's just hope he wins the primary.

Why is this good news?

Well, if it's not obvious, Faso is a George Bush Republican. He's anti-choice, anti-gay and, I can assure you, he will join forces with the extremists in his party seeking to haul Mexican illegals out of the country and kick them back to Mexico. And that's just the start.

There is a treasure trove of things Spitzer can exploit.

Weld, on the other hand, may have baggage from his days running that southern technical college, but he has undeniable experience running successful campaigns and ability to appeal to a segment of the Democratic constituency. His patrician airs are annoying, but less of a negative than Faso's boring demeanor.

Today the Republican base signed on with the Conservative party and made its choice. Republicans delude themselves into believing they can energize their base and win in New York when their party registration is outnumbered 2 to 1.

Governor Spitzer 2006 vs. Faso who couldn't even beat Allan Hevesi

Music to my ears!

-- Greg

Introduction

2006-05-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

With the 2006 political season heating up, I finally felt it was time to lend my voice to the blogosphere in a capacity beyond comments on various national and NYC based blogs.

The primary focus of "The City" will be commentary on the New York political scene, but not exclusively. I will surely veer off into the national political landscape from time to time.

Who am I?

Well, I'm a young unabashed life-long New Yorker who works totally outside of the political establishment. Yet, I've always had a passion and interest in politics and am known as a person who doesn't mince words and shoots from the hip.

I studied writing in college (who woulda thunk it with my ranty slangy sloppy comments littering the blogosphere), as well as other areas. I also hold a Master's degree.

Why "The City?"

Well, why not. As I was thinking of a name, I realized most of the New York based blogs used nicknames for "The City" and I was veering down that path. Then I said to myself, "Hey, why not just use the simple classic title 'The City'"? And so I did.

What does the future hold for "The City?"

At this point, who knows. Blogging isn't my full-time job by any stretch of the imagination. It's an outlet for now and as I drag my friends and others over, hopefully it will become a meaningful forum for discussion and political thought.

Is this a left-leaning blog?

Uh, anyone who knows me knows my posts will surely be left-leaning. That's not to say I don't encourage rebel-rousers from the other-side to jump in and take a swing. As for censorship, my tolerance is pretty high but I'm not one of those "anything goes" free speecher types. Bigot-driven hate speech will be deleted. As for anything else (e.g., foul language, etc.), I'm pretty open.

Why blogspot?

Because at this point in time it's easiest. I do intend to sharpen up the header and devise a logo -- but that will come in time. My feeling is the NY political blog scene is not a huge audience draw (at least not yet). So, for now, this works.

What will you discuss and will GregNYC the only blogger?

For now, I will be the only blogger. Though, as time goes on, I'm sure I'll be able to sway a few of my savvy prolific Democratic friends into contributing.

Topics and discussion will be organic. I'm addicted to NY1's Inside City Hall and, from time-to-time, will provide a Maureen Dowd-esque take on the show. Overall, posts will contain a little snark, a little humor, a lot of insight, and an entertaining take on the diverse characters populating the New York political arena. Breaking news or "scoops" will happen, but my "sources" are not as broad as the other reporter-driven blogs. Feel free to comment or send an e-mail to me with any scoopy newsworthy information.

Well, at this point, I'd like to extend a "big welcome" to all those who stumbled onto this site and, of course, to my dear friends who I shamed into visiting!

-- Greg