Albany High School

The Governor and the Attorney Genral are not getting along. One would think that Eliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo would totally be BFF in New York politics. Both are the sons of prominent fathers––one a real estate bigwig, the other a son of a New York Governor. They've got a lot in common. Spitzer held Cuomo's job as state attorney general before becoming Governor. Cuomo's the current attorney general and seems to share his predecessor's bulldog demeanor, and they're both members of the same party. Still, the two don't seem to be getting along that well. Perhaps it's because Cuomo crashed the Governor's electoral honeymoon by accusing his aides of stalking state senate leader Joe Bruno. Critics are calling on Spitzer to testify about what he knew regarding Troopergate and when he knew it. The two shared a room yesterday for the first time since July. According to The New York Sun, it wasn't all hugs and kisses between the Governor and AG.

What could have been a chance for public reconciliation fell to pieces when Mr. Spitzer marched off the stage and out the back door without even making eye contact with the attorney general, who stood, politely applauding, just feet away.

Aides to both men wrote off what was described as a "dis" or a snub by saying that Spitzer was a very busy man. That sounds like a double-"dis" to us. Can state government function effectively when its chief executive and chief law enforcer can't stand to remain in a room together? We wonder what kind of scuttlebutt will be passing over Albany water fountains during lunch breaks next week.The AG and Governor are normally allied, but the two similarly aged men of possibly shared ambitions make for a NY odd couple at this point and time.
(denny farrell, eliot spitzer, andrew cuomo, adriano espaillat, by azipaybarah at flickr)