Blakeman's Nassau swearing-in and Albany 'journey,' both
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman speaks before supporters and family at his swearing-in ceremony for his second term Monday. Credit: Newsday / Bahar Ostadan
The politically awkward context of Bruce Blakeman’s swearing-in Monday for a second term as Nassau County executive is crucial to the way the ceremony played out. Rather than set a fresh vision for the county in the next several years, as in a traditional inaugural address, Blakeman highlighted his tenure so far and let others talk up his declared ambitions for governor.
Long Island is the beachhead for a state Republican Party that has been shut out of all four statewide offices for 20 years and lost its State Senate majority in 2019. Understandably, Nassau’s dominant GOP used the event to trumpet the reelection of Blakeman, Comptroller Elaine Phillips and County Clerk Maureen O’Connell, all sworn in at the Cradle of Aviation in Uniondale.
Minority Democratic legislators, denied influence, sat out the hoopla. Tuesday’s event brought some of the sounds of a schmoozy party convention — with the obligatory shoutout to President Donald Trump, who essentially awarded Blakeman the GOP nomination for governor over his rival, Rep. Elise Stefanik, who folded on a primary.
After taking his oath, Blakeman told the gathered guests: “About an hour ago, I get a phone call — a Washington, D.C., number — and it’s President Trump. And he’s sitting in the Oval Office, with my brother. And my brother told me he couldn’t make it here today because he had a meeting with the president. I didn’t believe him so he had the president call to congratulate me.”
Brad Blakeman is a longtime figure in Washington, once as an aide to President George W. Bush, and he’s been a lobbyist and conservative TV commentator. Of Trump, Bruce Blakeman said, “I know we have various opinions, but I think he’s the best president in my lifetime.”
One reference to this year’s state campaign came from his wife, Family Court Judge Segal Blakeman, who administered the oath and said moments later: “And next year I will be doing this when he wins governor.’’
Earlier, Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky of the Yeshiva of South Shore in Hewlett, a longtime friend of Blakeman’s family, said he swore Blakeman in for previous positions but “with God’s help next time we’ll offer Bruce a blessing a little further north of here in Albany.” Even Mary Millben, a musical celebrity who has performed at ceremonies for five presidents and sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” on Monday, got into the act.
“Let’s hear it for the one and only Nassau County executive and soon to be governor of New York,” Millben proclaimed.
Nassau GOP chairman Joe Cairo, front and center, said, “It’s about team. We win as a team.” But when it came to Blakeman, he recalled that Teddy Roosevelt from Oyster Bay rose to the governorship in his time. Like “Teddy from Oyster Bay,” Cairo said, “we need Bruce from Valley Stream to go up to Albany and straighten this state out.”
Blakeman thanked Cairo for his friendship and showed a bit of coyness.
“I’ll leave you with this. I’m on a journey, I don’t know where that path will end.”
Sid Rosenberg, from 77 WABC, an outspoken supporter of Blakeman, shouted: “Albany!”
“I like that,” Blakeman said. “Right on cue, Sid.”
Nobody knows who will run the county in 2027. For this year, the person in charge likely will be Blakeman’s chief deputy, Arthur Walsh, who many say already rules the roost. Blakeman name-dropped Walsh and other staffers in his speech.
With the wider world watching Albany, it will be interesting to look for signs of governance in Mineola.
Columnist Dan Janison’s opinions are his own.
Dan Janison is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
