James Messerschmidt
Gov’s Empire State of mind
A chef in his whites — minus the usual hat — served Kathy Hochul and me hot steak and iced wine.
Dinner was on the terrace surrounding Albany’s executive live-in mansion.
The third uninvited guest?
A nosy squirrel who kept running through the bushes.
It’s maybe consumed with the esprit de Cuomo who misses the place?
“No,” said the governor.
“Not him. Won’t be Cuomo.”
“Look, I’m here two days a week. Funny, when I arrived, originally Cuomo was still in this mansion. Right here. Hadn’t moved out. Be historic if he returned and had to move me out so he could move back in — and even with his same crew of people — but won’t happen.”
“Cuomo’s going for mayor. Can’t stop Cuomo from going for mayor. And no matter what anyone says about our current mayor he has done some good things. Could happen a candidate is some rich man — big money, wants importance, do good, get his name around — like maybe Ron Lauder. Or underestimated Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin. I’m more behind the scenes. I don’t get credit for things.”
Nat’l pol-ing
Her thoughts on Kamala?
“Tough. I know about being No. 2. She’s been tested. Ready for the job.”
Shucking my heels for her comfy slippers as she — looking stunning in white pants, sweater, even a matching nose bandage “which finishes this week” — showed the mansion’s FDR wheelchair, its sign “Please do not sit,” 1932 Eleanor Roosevelt photo knitting, and photo of his mother Sara Delano standing behind at her son’s swearing in.
So if not re-elected, is NY’s 57th and first female gov back to glorious downtown Buffalo?
“No. I want to enjoy New York City. Appreciate the architecture. I love this toughest media market in the world. I just don’t love the everywhere scaffolding.”
Maybe would be good to show off this beautiful city to this beautiful governor.
To me Albany’s New York State Executive Mansion on Eagle Street, circa 1875, once a wealthy man’s private home — huge outdoor pools plus an outdoor outfitted pool room plus spectacular gardens plus the uniformed officer inside the steel gates plus photos of the gov’s family plus the Princess Suite in which I was to be parked overnight — looks different from the days when I saw Matilda Cuomo’s redo.
Now, flowers, drapes, rugs, photos, tchotchkes, Teddy Roosevelt who built a third-floor gym so he could practice boxing, books by Grover Cleveland, Averell Harriman 1955, Dewey 1945, Nelson Rockefeller 1963, Hugh Carey — with his 12 children being sworn in, Alfred E. Smith who installed an elevator 1926, Gov. Lehman 1937, George Pataki’s World Trade Center charred steel piece.
Family matters
“Listen,” she told me, “My mother’s mother was abused. My mother uneducated. Raised three kids, some half siblings. Mom met dirt poor dad in Ireland in eighth grade. Life was trailer park. Next we lived over a gas station. Grampa was a servant. I wore used clothing. I’m now very empathetic. This life today means everything to me.”
“And I care about the Jewish problem. Discrimination is violation. Hamas must be defeated. Laws need be changed. School teachers have to be accountable. To fight hate crimes. There has to be education in schools. I understand that New Yorkers are under siege right now.”
Speaking of history, remember we are speaking of American patriots.
Like the one who saw action in Europe, action in the Philippines and a little action in a motel downtown, which we better not talk about.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.