Spin Cycle: The Cuomo Watch

In Hurricane Irene, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo faced his first major natural-disaster test as chief executive. He canceled his planned vacation in the Adirondacks to return to the Capitol and oversee preparation efforts, convening his cabinet on the topic Friday afternoon.

The same day, one of his predecessors, Gov. George Pataki, declared he won't join the GOP primary for president.

The coincidence is interesting because even critics agreed Pataki excelled during natural disasters. He saw a few during 12 years in office, beginning with a "blowdown" that flattened a large swath of the Adirondack Park in 1995. Perhaps most notably, he earned good reviews during a 1998 ice storm that waylaid the North Country, coordinating recovery efforts at the scene.

-- Yancey Roy