We all heard about how Carl Paladino is a mere 6 percentage points behind Andrew Cuomo in the race to be the next Governor of New York. Well, that was just one poll. Cuomo said that Paladino was up because of the media coverage regarding his from-behind win to becoming the the Republican nominee for Governor. Well, that was one poll.
Since the first one, by Quinnipiac University, two more have come out. One by SurveyUSA and another from Siena College. I don't know how the polling for SurveyUSA was conducted, but I do for the other two. The Quinnipiac poll surveyed "likely voters" and only gave two options (Andrew Cuomo or Carl Paladino). The Siena poll surveyed "registered voters" and gave three options (Cuomo, Paladino and Rick Lazio). What is the difference between "likely voters" and "registered voters?" Likely voters do not include first-time voters (and, may, exclude voters that did not vote in recent elections).
Below is a break-down of the results of the polling data for all of the state-wide races:
Editor's Note: The times, percentage points, and number of precincts listed are estimates based on the writer's recollection of the evening.
What an insane night it was last night. Here is my story.
My evening did not get interesting until 9pm last night when my class was dismissed. I took the Ram Van down to Lincoln Center. I was told the night before that the Eric Schneiderman and Carolyn Maloney parties would both be at the Grand Hyatt.
On the ride down to Lincoln Center, I was anxiously checking my Twitter feeds for results (Twitter, I find, is one of the best and fastest source available for breaking news). The first surprise of the night came in: Christine O'Donnell, a Tea Party and Sarah Palin-backed Republican, beat moderate Republican Congressman Mike Castle in the Delaware Republican primary. For a candidate of whom I didn't even know until two weeks ago, I was amazed. It was obvious to everyone that the Democrats had just won the Senate seat previously held by Joe Biden. Within minutes, the story on Twitter changed to how Delaware Attorney General, Beau Biden (son of the Vice President) must have been feeling at that moment since he chose not to run for that Senate seat.
I asked a friend for confirmation that the Schneiderman party would be at the Hyatt. I was told it would be, but my friend said that she was at the primary election night party for Assemblyman Jonathan Bing. I responded that I wanted to be at the party with all of the cool kids.
After getting to Lincoln Center, I hailed a cab and I was taken cross-town
The races we all were watching were the 14th Congressional District (Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney versus Reshma Saujani -we cared about the margin of victory; Maloney won with 81% of the vote), the 33rd State Senate District (Gustavo Rivera versus Pedro Espada), and the 39th Assembly District (Francisco Moya versus Hiram Monserrate).
With the early sets of returns, Rivera was leading Espada by about 30 points. Still, there were allegations of dirty tacits by the Espada camp (see: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/09/gustavo-rivera-accuses-team-pe.html). Meanwhile, Monserrate, in the course of 20 minutes, at one point in the evening, went from being 30 points down, to up 30, and down 30 again over Moya.
Of course, the race we all were watching was Attorney General. Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice was taking an early lead of about 10 points over Manhattan State Senator Eric Schniderman with Sean Coffey in 3rd place by only a few percentage points.
By 10:30, it was becoming obvious that Carl Paladino was about to win the Republican Party nomination for Governor. A few minutes later, NY1 announced that Espada had conceded the race. At 11pm, the Associated Press called it for Paladino. That left just one race: Attorney General.
A little after 12am, my group of friends and I decided that we would head to the Schneiderman party. By this point, Schneiderman was up by 3% points over Rice with about 70% of the preciencts reporting. We hailed a cab and headed over the the Grand Hyatt. In attendance at the Schneiderman party were many notable local politicians including Governor David Paterson, Congressman Jerold Nadler, State Senators Daniel Squadron and Eric Adams, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
As the minutes passed, the number of precincts reporting steadily rose. A rumor began to spread that once 90% of the precincts were reporting and Schneiderman was still in the lead, the Senator was going to declare victory. The projector in the ballroom where the party was being held was tuned to Fox5 and then, later, NY1. One of the networks (I can't remember which one) showed the Rice election night party in Carle Place, Long Island. It was completely bare. Not a sole was there. It was empty. The room became very optimistic.
By 1am, my BlackBerry's battery was on its last legs. I grabbed my backpack and sat on the floor in the hallway at an outlet to let it charge. Around 1:10, I heard a chanting coming from the ballroom of "Er-ic! Er-ic! Er-ic!" I knew that either the Senator was up at least one more percentage point, we had reached the magin 90% number, or, maybe, just maybe, someone was ready to declare a victor. I pulled my charger out of the wall socket, shoved it and my BlackBerry into my pants' front right pocket, hoisted my backpack onto a shoulder and dashed into the ballroom.
I arrived exactly when the President of NARAL Pro-Choice NY, Kelli Conlin, began to speak. I didn't have to look at any screen or ask anyone what had happened. The energy of the room said it all. Eric Schneiderman was officially the Democratic Nominee to be the next Attorney General of the State of New York. At the end of his speech, the Senator introduced the next senator from the 33rd Senate District: Gustavo Rivera. Two great winners of the night together. Words cannot describe the feeling we all had/
I didn't get home until 3:00am this morning. I didn't fall asleep until about 4:15 and, even then, it seemed more like dozing than anything else. My voice, as of this writing, still has not recovered. The energy and enthusiasm you get when your candidate wins makes up for it all. If you all want to remember how I felt last night, recall November 4, 2008.
I'm sure we have all heard the uproar about the building of a mosque just blocks from Ground Zero and how it has become a national issue. My issue with the mosque is that it is an issue. The debate about the discussion didn't become an uproar until the National Republican Trust PAC created a television ad denouncing the creation of the mosque and the networks of NBC and CBS refused to air it.
This morning, the New York City local ABC affiliate aired the Democratic Attorney General Debate, which the video of is embedded below. If you fast-forward to the 9:15 mark, the question is asked of the candidates on their views on the building of the mosque and if the funding for its creation should be investigated (the bracketed comments I include are for clarification only). I have the candidates' comments written and/or summarized below the player.
Westchester County Assemblyman Richard Brodsky responded,
The, uh, mosque being built in that area is offensive to me as a matter of my role as a citizen. Uh, it seems to me that a certain degree of human understanding and sensitivity would say that there are things that may be legal which are not what we want to do in treating each other like citizens. As to whether it is legal or not, that is a much different question. And the law will be applied to those folks as it would to any other group as to the legality of the mosque. As to the funding sources, we will investigate any funding of any organizations which violate the law, threaten to violate the law, or whose activities are illegal and we will do that without fear or favor.
Eric Dinallo, a former NYS Superintendent of Insurance and Assistant Attorney General, said
I understand the issues of the emotions around this. I was at the Attorney General's office [located at 120 Broadway - three blocks from Ground Zero] when the World Trade Center was attacked. Outside of my window, you could see the destruction and time it took to come back from that. And, [at] the Insurance Department [which I was head of], I settled the case that moved $2 billion from the insurers to the redevelopment for downtown. But I think that people still have to maintain the concept in their hearts and minds [that] this state -this society- is built on Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Worship, Freedom of Congregation, and that I think that it needs to be looked at the funding source; but, just because it was a mosque, it is not a reason to put in such a deep investigation. For that purpose alone.
Nassau County District Attorney, Kathleen Rice, answered,
You know, I understand the sensitivities surrounding this particular issue. But I think one of the most fundamental bedrocks of our great country is the ability to allow each and every individual to worship the religion of their choice. And I think that in the absence of any evidence of any wrongdoing or breaking of any law, that that bedrock needs to be preserved. But, of course, if there is evidence [of improper funding sources], as Attorney General, I would investigate it.
State Senator Eric Schneiderman said,
I, uh, I think that the mosque should be built. I think that religious freedom is what this country is all about. Arguably, one of the reasons we were attacked on September 11th is because we have a pluralistic, open society where everyone is free to worship and, uh, interact. I have proposed already looking at issues related to funding sources of banks that are based in New York and other companies that move money around that may or may not be going to terrorist groups - particularly: money going into Iran. But that has nothing to do with the religious freedom issue. The local Community Board that represents that community approved the mosque. I'm not going to second-guess them.
Then, when asked if he would investigate the funding, Schneiderman said that he would investigate the funding as well as any funds that are transferred through New York that are related to terrorist activities.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sean Coffey as well agreed to investigate the funding to ensure it came from legitimate sources.
Well, I, uh, would also purse investigating the funding to make sure that it is coming from legitimate sources. This is a very tough issue. I mean, there is a lot of emotion around Ground Zero. As a young 17-year-old, 16-year-old, I helped build the World Trade Center when I was an apprentice in the Carpenter's Union - I helped lay sheet-rock there. And I lost some friends that day. I completely the pain that the families are feeling. But, we're special. We're Americans. We're tolerant. We strive for a more tolerant society. I served 30 years in uniform [in the Navy] defending those ideals and, as painful as it is for some folks, I think that we're better than our worst - as people would put us - in the worst light. And so, uh, I would go ahead and permit it to be built.
He too said he would investigate the funding.
In retort, Brodsky, said that the next Attorney General would have to apply the laws equally, but each person should be allowed to have opinions on the issue because of the memories 9/11 instilled in us. Coffey retorted that what we have to do is reach past the divides that the anger from 9/11 brought us.
Before I continue, I think I should explain some New York City politics. When a development project is proposed and would require the amendment of current zoning laws, the developer must go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The stages are simple enough, but take years to go through. First, the developer fills out the proper paperwork; if just one "i" is not dotted properly, it gets sent back. Next, the development project is reviewed by that community's Community Board. The Community Board consists of City Council members from that area and local representatives that are chosen by the Borough President. The Community Board has a public hearing so local residents can weigh-in. The Community Board's approval only serves as a recommendation and holds no weight in law. Next, the proposal is brought to the Borough Board, which is another advisory board that is chaired by the Borough President and mainly deals with the effect the project would have on the borough as a whole. Then, the proposal is brought to the City Planning Commission; if this board, which is chaired by a mayoral appointee, does not approve the measure, it dies (unless the City Council intervenes). Next, the City Council decides to approve it; the City Council looks at the impact the project could have on the city as a whole. If the City Council rejects the plan, it is dead. If approved, however, the plan is sent to the Mayor for his signature or veto. Notice the way ULURP happens: discussions on the project by the community, then discussions by the borough, and the discussions by the City as a whole. Look at what is noticeably absent: the State and the Nation.
Of the five Democratic Attorney General Candidates, only two live within the 5 boroughs of New York. Sean Coffey and Assemblyman Brodsky live in Westchester County. District Attorney Kathleen Rice lives in Nassau County on Long Island. Senator Eric Schneiderman and Superintendent Eric Dinallo both live in Manhattan. After moving from Long Island to the City, I saw how much of a difference there is when it comes to living in a place from living near a place and hearing about a place. There is a certain je ne cest que about a tragedy's impact radius and the level of understanding that people that are further away from it have from those that are right there. A good friend of mine from high school lives in TriBeca, only blocks from Ground Zero; his problem is the amount of people that are moving away from the neighborhood to other parts of the city. I live one block from the Brooklyn Bridge and that issue is foreign to me. If I, someone who lives 30 minutes by foot, cannot understand the emotional impact of the residents, how can someone from Westchester County, or Albany, or Washington or, for that matter, Alaska? 9/11 was a national tragedy, but each person and each community has to deal with it in the manner that they know best and outsiders should not be involved. The further away from the impact zone, I find, the less say you should have.
My issue with the mosque is that it is an issue. Gound Zero is in New York. New York was hit. New York should choose how to deal with it. Yes, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC were hit and both tourists and commuters from the Greater New York area were killed. I do sympathize, but just like any national tragedy, it may affect people that weren't there, but that impact is different from those that were.
I think Senator Schneiderman was the most correct when he said that we were attacked because we are a pluralistic society. The people that attacked us hate us because we allow for multiple opinions. They see the connection between our pluralism and our prosperity and denounce us because they want that prosperity while not losing power.
In the weeks following 9/11, there as a small Internet meme that depicted what the Ground Zero redevelopment project should look like. The photoshopped picture was an extend middle finger made from images of the World Trade Center.
Now, personally, I like the idea of the mosque. I can understand the issues surrounding it and the images that reminds us all of and I am completely sympathetic. I too have moments of shock when watching the scenes of the buildings falling or the people under the rubble. But I also want to look forward. President Bush, that night, said "America was targeted because we are the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world." I think the mosque should be built because for those reasons. We can tell the rest of the world, Muslim extremists attacked us on 9/11, but we are a beacon for freedom and we will not let any attack on us silence our core values. I think that building a mosque simply blocks from Ground Zero is the ultimate way of giving the middle finger to the Islamic Extremists that attacked us. We can say to the rest of the world that we have a mosque and a synagogue and a church all in blocks of where you tried to attack us; your aims to destroy the fundamental values of the United States failed.
Part of the reason why the saying "turn the other cheek" is such a great comeback is the history behind it. 2,000 years ago, the left hand was considered unclean and not used since it was used for wiping oneself. Also, an open-handed palm face slap was considered a sign of embrace (a back-handed slap was for beating). So, when the rule was made to turn the other cheek, it was less of sign of personal integrity and more of a sign of putting someone in their place. I think the 'Ground Zero Mosque' would do just that.
Let me leave you with a clip from "The West Wing" that I find to be on target:
