Cuomo watch: A change in the weather

A few days after he was criticized for staying out of the labor dispute involving Consolidated Edison, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo stepped in last week and helped broker a settlement.

One labor leader was quoted as saying Cuomo "abdicated" his responsibility by failing to use his leverage to help settle a four-week lockout over pension costs.

Then along came a severe summer thunderstorm and Cuomo made his move. With forecasts that the storm would knock out power throughout downstate -- although it subsequently didn't -- the governor got the parties to agree to a tentative, four-year labor pact.

"You don't want a storm hitting New York City without Con Ed being at full force," Cuomo said.

-- Yancey Roy