Hey. How's it going? Everyone settling in nicely now that Pataki's gone? Congrats, too, on adding another Democratic State Senator. Slowly but surely, eh?

Anyhow, I want to talk with you a little bit about this whole Hevesi replacement situation.

See, I like Governor Spitzer. I voted for him. I am hopeful about his agenda to reform the way you guys all do business on the Hudson. I didn't vote for Shelly Silver. I didn't vote for Joe Bruno. Neither of those guys represent me, neither of those guys represent anyone in WNY, and none of them are particularly interested in what goes on out here in the stix, right? I mean, Silver is from the lower east side of Manhattan, and Bruno has a nice horse farm near Saratoga. I don't mind Silver running the Assembly or Bruno running the Senate. After all, they're elected to do so by their membership. What I do mind is that they see themselves as co-Governors of the state along with Spitzer.

And speaking of chutzpah, the personal-injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg -- also known as Shelly Silver's employer -- isn't exactly keeping its head down in the circles of government, or at least on their desktops.

Try Googling "Eliot Spitzer." The advertisement on the right addresses "NY Mesothelioma Sufferers."

The message: "Get proper legal aid for those who deserve it. Free case evaluation!"

Freshman Assemblyman Mark Schroeder wrote a letter to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver asking him to step aside in anticipation of a Spitzer victory in November.

Schroeder, who believes Spitzer will be elected in November, said the attorney general will have a difficult time getting through his reform ideas with what he calls the "accumulated power" of Silver and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno. He also said Senate Republicans should also consider replacing Bruno. Spitzer is running against Democrat Thomas Suozzi and Republican John Faso.