It’s no surprise that Andrew Cuomo has decided it’s a good thing to be seen as often as possible with Eliot Spitzer. (Witness this recent ad.)
But some political insiders were taken aback this weekend when Cuomo essentially crashed a Spitzer endorsement event taking place two hours before the former HUD secretary was scheduled to be endorsed by the same person.
According to Cuomo’s schedule this weekend, he was supposed to get endorsed by the president of the Dominican Day parade, Nelson Pena, Sunday at noon, on 36th & 6th. Without much fanfare, Cuomo turned up at a breakfast hosted by the city comptroller — where Eliot Spitzer was scheduled receive Pena’s endorsement first.
According to a source there, the event suddenly took on the look and feel of a double endorsement — a group event for Spitzer and Cuomo.
“At noon, we had plans to endorse Andrew Cuomo,” said Assemblyman Adrian Espaillat, one member of the Dominican American Coalition for Cuomo.
Cuomo’s spokeswoman, Wendy Katz, emailed to point out that the noon endorsement took pretty much right on time. It didn’t happen until “the second before” everyone gathered at the head of the parade at noon, she said.
If anyone has more details from the breakfast, please send them along.
— Azi Paybarah
UPDATE: We should probably also mention that Cuomo just officially got an endorsement from the AFL-CIO. Or more precisely, as the Cuomo campaign’s release points out, the endorsement was for “CLINTON, SPITZER, CUOMO AND HEVESI.”
Full document after the jump.
ATTORNEY GENEARL CANDIDATE ANDREW CUOMO RECEIVES ENDORSEMENT OF AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO ENDORSES DEMOCRATIC TICKET–CLINTON, SPITZER, CUOMO AND HEVESI
2.5 Million-Member NYS Labor Organization Praises Cuomo as “Best Qualified Candidate to Succeed Eliot Spitzer”
New York, NY (August 14, 2006) – New York State Attorney General candidate Andrew Cuomo today received the endorsement of the AFL-CIO which represents 2.5 million workers statewide. Today’s boost of support represents a pivotal moment in the campaign as it confirms that Andrew Cuomo is the overwhelming consensus labor candidate to be New York’s next attorney general. Throughout the campaign a broad and diverse group of labor organizations from around the state have lined up to support Andrew Cuomo as New York’s next attorney general.
“Andrew Cuomo is far and away the best qualified candidate to succeed Eliot Spitzer as attorney general. No other candidate in this race can match Andrew’s record of accomplishments and life-long commitment to fight for working and middle class families. With Andrew Cuomo as attorney general, the house of labor will be unshakeable because he will safeguard the rights and dignity of every worker in New York State. Andrew has demonstrated that his values are our values. He has stood up for working families against discrimination, predatory banks, the NRA, mortgage scams and waste, fraud and abuse in government and he will continue to do that as attorney general. We look forward to working with Attorney General Cuomo to make New York an even better, safer place to work and live.”
“Today is an extraordinary day for our campaign. I am honored and humbled to have the support of the AFL-CIO-which has been such a strong voice for the millions of hard-working men and women who make New York the greatest state. As Attorney General, I will work day in and day out to protect the rights and dignity of New York’s working and middle class families. I will fight to level the playing field for all New Yorkers by challenging the powerful special interests that put profits over people-from drug and insurance companies to oil giants and polluters. Finally, I will stand up to the federal government when it fails our families. I will never back down from these fights and
together, we will win.”
Among the labor organizations that have endorsed Andrew Cuomo for New York State attorney general are: CSEA, New York State United Teachers, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association (PBA), Detectives Endowment Association (DEA), Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), United Fire Officers Association (UFOA), UNITE HERE!, RWDSU, New York State Laborers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters, Iron Workers Local 7, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Transport Workers Union Local 2020, New York City Deputy Sheriffs Association, SEIU 1199, SEIU 200 United, Locomotives Engineers Local 659, Buffalo Professional Firefighters, and New York Hotel Trades Council Local 6, Communication Workers of America District 1, United Auto Workers, New York State Court Officers, New York State Professional Fire Fighters and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 802.
