How well Cuomo, who is campaigning on a message of "changing" Albany, can work with Silver, the embodiment of Albany's establishment, has been the subject of speculation for some time.

In a scrum with reporters, Silver tried to stress how well he and Cuomo have worked together.

"I worked with him—not staff—he and I, hands on" in various areas "that needed legislation," Silver said. "We crafted the legislation that followed up his investigations in many instances."

I asked Silver if he expected Cuomo to campaign against Democrats who don't sign on to his pledge.

"I don't expect that to happen. I don't think so," Silver said.

Silver dismissed the "New Democratic Party" and "New Democrat" signs around the state party's convention as a "campaign slogan."