Editorial: Housing and tourism need more than photo-ops

'Without promotion, something terrible happens -- nothing!"

The great 19th century showman P.T. Barnum is said to have uttered those words, and more than a few people hanging around City Hall and the state Capitol seem to be channeling him lately. We mention this because New Yorkers for the last few days have been subjected to the sight of politicians from one end of the Hudson to the other engaging in acts that Barnum would've loved.

On Saturday evening, five Democratic candidates for mayor showed up for a sleepover at the Abraham Lincoln Houses in upper Manhattan. They were invited there by the Rev. Al Sharpton -- to see for themselves the kind of deterioration afflicting some of the New York City Housing Authority's 179,000 apartments.

For candidates Anthony Weiner, Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio, Bill Thompson and John Liu, it was an efficient way to showcase their empathy in a camera-ready fashion for the city's 404,000 public housing residents.

Quinn described her host's bathroom this way: "If you were in a horror movie, you'd be just a couple of minutes away from the black mold overtaking the bathroom."

Meanwhile, 250 miles to the north, Gov. Andrew Cuomo spent Sunday and Monday in the Adirondacks -- competing in paddle races with politicians, journalists and business people on a three-mile whitewater stretch of the Indian River near its confluence with the Hudson.

His purpose was to highlight the Adirondacks region and publicize its potential for tourism. Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined him for a river romp yesterday. The event brought the Adirondacks deserved attention and perhaps gave Cuomo and Bloomberg, both known for their high-voltage intensity, a chance to show lighter sides.

So whatever works, right? The North Country can use a tourism shot, but the city's public housing has needed urgent attention forever. Yet stacks of reports have been written and forgotten. We expect much more from our next mayor than easy photo ops. But stunts can jump-start stalled initiatives. We hope these weren't for nothing.