Ghosts of nominees of past haunt NY Democrats' convention

RYE BROOK

The white-on-blue signs that greeted arriving convention guests and delegates here proclaimed "New Democratic Party" - presumably in synch with Andrew Cuomo's "new New York" theme in the campaign for governor.

But if this party really were new, you'd almost expect chairman Jay Jacobs to dedicate a moment of silence for the old one that existed not four years ago.

This convention is, after all, shaped by the seats out of which Democrats fell after winning.

In 2006, in faraway Buffalo, many of the same state Democratic committee members nominated Eliot Spitzer for governor. For reasons that might be obvious to all but himself, Spitzer is not attending this time.

Spitzer's running mate, David A. Paterson, was nominated that year as his handpicked lieutenant. By yesterday afternoon, it was unclear if Paterson, now governor, would even make an appearance here. The more relevant mysteries had to do with when Paterson, the lame-duck substitute governor, could settle a hard-times budget - or when the probe that helped bump him as a candidate will wrap up.

Alan Hevesi, the last and victorious Democratic nominee for state comptroller, imploded in scandal and is nowhere on the public landscape.

Four years ago, Nassau Executive Thomas Suozzi, the primary long shot against Spitzer, made a show of it with protests outside the hall. But he was voted out of his county job. At least he made an appearance last night.

And Steve Levy, who turned the Suffolk executive's office Democratic in 2003? Oh, he bolted for the Republicans - and stars in the Grand OLD Party's convention drama next week.

For all the spiritual phantoms, this place seems sedate rather than haunted.

Said a longtime reform Democrat as he mingled in one of the ballroom areas: "Everyone here seems so interested in jockeying for positions, getting three free nights in a hotel and looking for a job. There's no real political discussion. Andrew Cuomo's anointed to head the party, and he says he'll cut the government 20 percent."

There are pockets of competition - five candidates for the attorney general's job that Cuomo vacates. But by the decision of the top party officials, each will be designated to run in a primary - which normally requires 25 percent of the weighted vote. "Around here, five people can get 25 percent each," chuckled a longtime city operative, on line to check in here.

New York City attorney Gail Goode arrived early to mix with delegates, having just recently declared for a very-long-shot primary run for the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Kirsten Gillibrand. Substitute Paterson appointed Gillibrand after Hillary Clinton - also nominated at that 2006 convention - was appointed U.S. secretary of state.

Never one to seem gloomy, June O'Neill, the state Democrats' executive committee chair, was asked if the ghosts of '06 haunt Rye Brook.

She winced at the question before saying: "It's a new day and a new Democratic Party. . . . How's that?"