Community Advocate and attorney Albert Baldeo was published in the January 26th Daily News fighting for the state and local economies to benefit from the Aqueduct revitalization plans. He warns that "we are throwing away $1 million dollars a day in lost revenues for New York State," and is demanding that the Governor make a decision now to stop "suspending payments to hospitals and schools, closing hospitals, raising taxes and cutting services." He is also advocating for the new jobs and economic benefits the deal will bring for working families who live in the Aqueduct area, but warned that workers must be protected by labor laws. His Op-Ed advocacy piece is reproduced below. Albert is also rendering free legal and humanitarian assistance to  Haitians who need help after that terrible earthquake destroyed their lives at his Law Offices located at 106-11 Liberty Avenue, Ozone Park in Queens, blocks away from the Aqueduct facility: Tel (718) 529-2300 for appointments.

By Dan Gesslein

   During a true WTF moment that can only happen in Bronx politics, instead of one Democratic Party leader we now have two. Both Dem Chairman Jose Rivera and the Rainbow Rebels' Carl Heastie claimed victory during a raucous vote yesterday. Now the court will decide who is the real Dem leader.
   Sunday's vote made the split 2000 election look like a cakewalk. Although there were no hanging chads there were some flying elbows as both pro Rivera and pro Rebels supporters clashed. The raucous meeting took place at the Utopia Paradise Theater on Sunday night. Our spies tell us that there were loud disputes over trying to keep cameras out of the meeting. News reporter Dave Greene was allowed by a security guard to take photos of Rivera and his supporters from the stage but not when the Rebels took the same stage. Our spies also saw Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz suffering a few scrapes during a shoving match with some of the Dem supporters.
   The showdown started early. While Rebel supporters were still lined up outside to enter the theater, Rivera held his own meeting. He claimed his was the true vote even though some took to shouting down the longtime Dem Chairman. After declaring victory, Rivera and his supporters left taking the microphone with him. The Rebels then had their meeting using a bullhorn to speak to the crowd.
   The Rebels claim theirs was the true vote since it was the majority of district leaders who voted for Heastie and that Rivera's vote was illegal. Both sides are expected to be in court this week.
   Our man Dave Greene was on the scene and will have more. (Developing....) See the latest @ www.bxnews.net

This is the inaugural edition of the BenWatch, a blog devoted to tracking the Pro-Hillary and Anti-Obama slant to Ben Smith's coverage of the Democratic primary at Politico.  

As anyone who's been paying attention will know, Ben clearly has a bias.  This blog aims to: a.) expose that bias for what it is; b.) give other disaffected Politico (an allegedly neutral politcal news outlet that has sponsored a Democratic debate and which has had inredible access to the candidates) readers a place to record grievances; c.) explore the agenda of the center-right Politico.com.

Attentive readers will know that Ben's pieces have the feel of soft-core porn for Hillary (where Larry Johnson and Taylor Marsh would be hard-core).  They will know that Ben broke the incendiary "story" that even Larry Johnson wouldn't break about tenuous connections between Obama and Ayers in Hyde Park. 

It seems like a lot of people watched last night's debate. Today, many people have been asking me what "Rezko" was and why Hillary brought it up. They rightfully believed that Obama dodged the explanation and that there was more to the story. Personally, when I heard his explanation (pasted below in bold from the debate transcript), I laughed. His answer proved that he's just another typical politician guilty of typical political follies.

"Here's what happened: I was an associate at a law firm that represented a church group that had partnered with this individual [Rezko] to do a project and I did about five hours worth of work on this joint project. That's what she's referring to."

On LunchBox today, host Adam Green on: Iraq, Democrats, George W. Bush, Harry Reid, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, polls and more...

via the New York Post

“There’s nothing like losing a skirmish that leads me to want to win the next round more,” Spitzer told a group of donors at a breakfast in Manhattan, according to a source at the event.

“The knockout blow is coming very soon,” he threatened - hinting at a possible coup against Silver.

---

“I don’t think tactics that impugn our integrity work,” Canestrari said. “We need to deal with these things in a rational, unemotional manner.”

Another shocked Assembly Democrat said, “He’s f- - -ing nuts. He’s like a maniac. . . I first thought his aggressive thing was a posture, a strategy to make us the enemy, but I no longer think that. Now I think he’s got a very serious temper management issue.”

(more)

Now the Democrats have selected Denver as the host city for the 2008 National Convention, we will soon see pundits writing how this will make Colorado and neighboring states more likely to vote Democratic for President. Previously others have written that the Republicans having their convention in Minneapolis will help them win in Minnesota & Wisconsin. For example – "The Midwest has become strategic ground," said David Schultz, who teaches politics at Hamline University in St. Paul. "Bring the convention here, get the faithful excited, and spotlight that you care about the Midwest and farmers." Schultz said it's also a "symbolic black eye" to Minnesota Democrats trying to keep alive the spirit of Hubert Humphrey and Paul Wellstone. "It's a purple state now, and Republicans increasingly view this as a winnable state," he said.

On Wednesday, House Democratic leaders had their Capitol news conference disrupted by a group of anti-war activists led by Cindy Sheehan.

According to press accounts, Sheehan said "We put them back in power," she said of the Democrats. Passing out fliers calling for defunding the Iraq war, Sheehan shouted: "These are our demands. And they're not requests -- they're demands."

Recently State Senator Liz Krueger, who is in charge of the Democratic State Senate Campaign Committee, said that the Democrats would not be picking up new State Senate Seats in New York adding that Democrats do better in presidential years.  Republican Majority Leader Joe Bruno predicted that his party would pick up seats.  Both views are correct, but it should not have been the case.

Hold tight - cuz the asylum is about to get a bit more insane.

It's lookin' like the last bit of sanity (Rodney Capel) will soon be fleeing the coup, and that the State of NY's Dem-a-goguery is bound for even more misery.

Hard to believe that's possible, right?

One would think that Herman D. and Co. would take this precious opportunity to scout some new, fresh talent ... or just to scout - period.

But one would so obviously be wrong. For the second time in as many years, it appears the shit's just gonna continue to sail downstream, to the next puppet in line.