The Usual Suspects

Could it come down to December 12th for Republicans to chose a statewide candidate for governor or will they allow a talented roster of reformers an honest year to publicly compete?

These well-publicized primaries will make the Republican Party look good, especially in a political climate where Tom Suozzi will go after Spitzer's glass jaw.  The GOP need not be nasty or cut each other down to the knees.  There is an opportunity here for both major parties to re-invent themselves, and start anew.

We offer one exception and a cautionary tale.

A wretched pattern has begun to show its face with John Faso's campaign, one we foresaw two months ago.  The theory being espoused by multiple political operatives throughout New York State is that Pataki, Inc. knew the Decker College problems had doomed William Weld, as early as September, and that a coordinated campaign began to position Faso for the nomination.

It's an audacious theory, so far highly unlikely, but John Faso so reeks of ambition that most observers of this drama see his heavy-handed design on the Executive Chamber. Faso first played coy about December 12 and then suddenly it became an obsession, strangely so, like he knows something.

William Weld's fundraiser had been "downsized" to less than 200 people, with nearly half let in free (multiple sources confirmed that the number of guests and money raised was grossly exagerated).

We still expect Mr. Weld will stay in the race.

The former Massachusetts governor is pithy and intelligent, though he needs to learn about New York State without the help of George Pataki.

On other hand, Faso's problems are mounting, self-inflicted wounds that News Copy believes no political surgeon can salve.  The irony is that John Faso had been a excellent patient, a candidate for reform, but he dealt away his political freedom during the Pataki years.

• Being a lobbyist brought Faso good fortune but numerous conflicts of interest.
• Faso shifted radically away from the pro-life movement, pandering to what has only been "politically viable" and betraying his base.
• Faso accepted endorsements from radical groups advocating gay marriage.
• He vainly sells himself as Catholic to Catholic voters, no different than Mario Cuomo and maybe a little worse.
• Faso hired 1199 lobbyists to run his campaign, puppet-PACs who had been paid to pass the Runaway Spending Amendment and increase Medicaid spending.
• John Faso was silent all summer on Proposal One, waiting until the least two weeks when he was certain the referendum would fail before he opposed it.

We question Faso's long alliances with Pataki, with Bruno, with Weld, with Tom Doherty and with anyone even remotely connected to Kieran Mahoney's Mercury Public Affairs.  Faso tries to be everyman but 2006 will demand a future Governor of New York State who is his own man.

We predict William Weld will be rejected by New York's Republican establishment but he has the staying power to make Republican Primary a good fight.  We then see Tom Golisano entering the race or perhaps selflessly playing kingmaker, a role that would make either millionaire candidate a legendary New York hero rather that a cult of their checking accounts

Along with Golisano, Pat Manning and Randy Daniels remain potent messengers of reform.  The edge here goes to Manning, in our opinion, who shares Daniels' zeal and brings a refreshing quality to the table.  Manning's call for Republicans to return to the party of Reagan was dramatic enough.  His classy tip of the hat to reformers like Tom Suozzi and Tom Golisano demonstrated to us that Manning has what it takes to bring New York back to prominence as the Empire State. 

A primary featuring Golisano, Weld and Manning would demonstrate the Republican's creative pallet -- and leave the party stronger.

Frankly, coupled with Suozzi's challenge of Spitzer, 2006 could be remembered as something special... the year we turned around New York State. 

As for Faso, he seeks an all-or-nothing gamble that is politically expedient and the bosses will hand it to Republican County chairs that way.  In our opinion, it's all been designed to put John Faso on the white horse just in time for that December 12 gathering of leaders.

It's not that John Faso has ever been an awful human being or a fractured reformer.

He's just riding the wrong horse.

We at News Copy just genuinely hope that the wiser political heads see past the group delusion and not let any of the usual suspects in Albany con anyone.

Comments

[danielnyc]

I honestly believe that if Weld does not get the endorsement from County Chairs, he won't run. There would be no benefit for him once his stock falls. If Faso wins, I can see it becoming a four person race.

[Peon]

I saw Weld on the street the other day. I wished him good luck; he's going to need it. He can't run from behind in New York. It looks like Decker may have sunk him already. Too bad, he's a good guy.

[m88to]

sounds a bit biased, sounds like your paper belongs in iraq, where one party is appreciated