Hochul goes to Harlem

Daily Point

A welcoming party for Benjamin

The political pedigree of State Sen. Brian Benjamin, the Harlem Democrat tapped for lieutenant governor, was key to his selection.

One of Benjamin’s closest political allies is former Assemb. Keith Wright, who is also the former party chairman for Manhattan and the former head of the state party under Andrew Cuomo. He was once associated with the investment firm Morgan Stanley, which on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s behalf will signify that he is unlikely to promote the economic radicalism feared by mainstream Democratic operatives.

At the same time, Benjamin highlights on his website and in his promotional literature the movement to end mass incarceration, and in the city, he has supported the dismantling of the huge Rikers Island prison complex. He also speaks out on crime in his district, which is standard fare everywhere.

The shortlist of possible LG candidates for Hochul that was in circulation before the Benjamin pick, made known Wednesday, included other politicians from New York City who could have made for what she calls an "inclusive ticket." Note that two of them are Democratic county chairs — Sen. Jamaal Bailey of the Bronx (who enthusiastically congratulated Benjamin on Twitter) and Assemb. Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn of Brooklyn.

Although Brooklyn has the biggest of county organizations, and its borough president is likely to be the city’s next mayor, Harlem still has political cachet among Democrats in Albany power circles. It’s where ex-Gov. David Paterson and the late ex-mayor David Dinkins hail from. Hochul is due to appear with Benjamin there at 1 p.m. Thursday.

So Hochul makes a secondary kind of history — that is, the second appointment of a lieutenant governor, since Paterson’s selection of Richard Ravitch was approved by the state Court of Appeals.

— Dan Janison @Danjanison

Talking Point

Nursing homes try a new shot

Nursing home owners are getting organized.

New York’s for-profit nursing homes, all 420 of them, are working together to form their own advocacy group, likely to be called the Coalition for Quality Long Term Care, to be led by former State Sen. Michael Balboni.

Balboni heads the Greater New York Health Care Facilities Association, one of six such associations that represent nursing homes and similar facilities across the state. Those associations will continue to exist, but the new organization, Balboni said, will allow for-profit homes to "speak with a single voice." It eventually will be registered with the state and Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(4) organization.

Nursing home owners began discussing the idea in April, after the state budget included significant nursing home reforms, many of which emerged from the health care workers union’s requests. But the organization’s creation took on new urgency in the wake of the state’s mandate that all nursing home workers be vaccinated, a requirement owners worry will hurt their ability to staff their homes. They’re now discussing ways to incentivize or recruit new workers, while still trying to convince current employees to get their shots.

But the effort is about more than just vaccination and more than just the pandemic.

"With a new governor, there’s a chance to reset the table when it comes to long term care," Balboni told The Point.

The coalition will work on strategy, advertising and political advocacy and will attempt to establish better relationships with the health care workers unions, with the state Department of Health and with elected officials.

"We cannot do things the way we used to do them," he said.

Balboni said he’s been given the go-ahead to hire people, open an office in New York City and start establishing the coalition. Among the first tasks: To build an extensive advertising campaign to encourage New Yorkers to join the long-term care industry. Simultaneously, Balboni said, the coalition will work to encourage current employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

All of that will have to start soon because time is of the essence. Health care workers, including those in nursing homes, have ONLY until Sept. 27 to get their first shot.

— Randi F. Marshall @RandiMarshall

Pencil Point

The neigh-sayers

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Final Point

Close reading Hochul’s speech

Freshly minted Gov. Kathy Hochul only mentioned one former New York governor by name in her formal address to New Yorkers Tuesday as she took over from Andrew Cuomo.

"One of my favorite inspirations is from a speech by Teddy Roosevelt," she said. "It speaks of the man in the arena who is marred by dust, and sweat and blood, in stark contrast to the timid souls on the sidelines." She went on to repurpose the Rough Rider future president’s phrase and say she’s willing to be "bloodied and marred" to do what’s right for New Yorkers.

It wasn’t the only Roosevelt reference that appears to have slipped, advertently or not, into the speech. Among her more rousing lines was the promise to those New Yorkers who have yet to meet me. I say this: you may not know me. But I know you."

The phrasing is similar to the well-recycled folk story of a citizen mourning FDR, the other Roosevelt who served as New York governor and president. The story goes that the mourner broke down as FDR’s casket passed, and the mourner is asked if he knew the dead president. "No," comes the answer, "but he knew me."

Hochul’s office, busy with swirling news of the new lieutenant governor on Wednesday, did not settle the mystery for The Point about the FDR-adjacent quote.

But perhaps the state’s first female governor sees value in linking herself to members of the New York political pantheon (though Teddy has had his detractors lately, particularly regarding his statue outside the American Museum of Natural History in NYC flanked by a Native American and Black figure).

Certainly she has taken pains to distinguish herself from former running mate Cuomo, including with Tuesday’s speech — which was short, PowerPoint-less, and quoted Roosevelt rather than, say, the pretty apocryphal aphorism-monger A.J. Parkinson.

— Mark Chiusano @mjchiusano

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