May 31 - 8:52 am
Morning Buzz
New York Times Empire Blog

New York Democrats are exultant. New York Republicans are edgy.

The tale of two conventions continues apace today. Overnight in Buffalo, Democratic elves festooned the Hyatt with “Hillary” posters and bunting. By 7 a.m., young and wide-smiling Clintonistas were prepping to and fro for a Friends of Hillary breakfast and awaiting the arrival of Herself and her husband. Two survivors of the day before, former Mayor David Dinkins and Ashley Cotton, a Cuomo aide, were (separately) up and about, but it looked like many of the hard-partying Democrats were still sleeping it off.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton will be formally re-nominated at the state party convention at 11 a.m. today. Jonathan Tasini, who is challenging H.R.C. for the Democratic nomination, has scheduled a 9 a.m. press conference on the anti-war resolution he wants to introduce on the convention floor.

It’s unclear how far the resolution will get: some Democratic poobahs are inclined to squash it on procedural grounds
if Tasini doesn’t have the requisite signatures/support. And the delegates proved yesterday that they wouldn’t let little things like free speech and participatory democracy get in the way of party rules — i.e., screaming “No!” and cutting off discussion when the moderator asked if anyone (such as a guy named Tom Suozzi) wanted to challenge Eliot Spitzer for governor.

In Hempstead, where the Republican convention that starts today, party members will try to find a path forward. John Spencer and K.T. McFarland will do battle in the afternoon for the right to face Mrs. Clinton in the fall; both are far behind her in the polls and fund-raising. Jeanine F. Pirro will win the Republican nod for attorney general, a step toward political redemption after her disastrous bid for the United States Senate last year.

The G.O.P. buzz has focused on Bill Weld picking Chris Jacobs as his running mate: Would Weld get a burst of new support from delegates and proxy votes from Erie County/western New York in his battle against John Faso for the GOP nomination?

We’re blogging from the Buffalo airport right now, and our flight is being called.

The Times gives this account of Eliot Spitzer’s selection as the party favorite for governor, as well as Andrew Cuomo’s landslide victory among the delegates – delighting Jennifer “it’d be extraordinary to get 50 percent” Cunningham and infuriating Deni Frand, who complained to me about “intimidation and strong-arm tactics” by Team Cuomo. The New York Post editorial page had some problems with the Spitzer speech. The Daily News reports on Tom Suozzi as party outsider. And The Albany Times-Union looks at a G.O.P. proxy fight between Faso and Weld supporters.

– Patrick Healy