Media-Whore D'Oevres



(image via darrow via nymag)

"In the scramble to analyze the municipal fallout from Wall Street’s implosion, the instant speculation centered on whether the mess helps Bloomberg’s case for a third mayoral term. It does. But whether or not Bloomberg ultimately does try to tear up term limits, the financial debacle alters the landscape in larger and more immediate ways. We’re heading back to the days when politics was a central part of the city’s life. When fighting over budgetary crumbs became a life-and-death struggle." (NYMag)

"Ken Silverstein adds to his original magazine story by taking the reader to a choice hangout for pols, flacks and lobbyists during the Republican reign, 1994-2006, the Capitol Grille, at Pennsylvania and Sixth, close to the Capitol Hill dome. 'Business reportedly dropped off when the Democrats took charge again in 2006, but it remained one the best spots in town to hobknob with members of Congress aand their entourages...' Last fall, 2007, Silverstein spotted Charlie Rangel, 15th NY (D) and Chair of Ways and Means, coming out of the revolving door. 'A man just in front of me -- likely a lobbyist, given his power suit, briefcase, and Bluetooth earpiece -- immediately accosted Rangel, furiously shaking his hand, and the two men struck up a short but friendly conversation. After Rangel stepped into his waiting car (license plate NYREP 15), the man turned to me, eyes afire,and exclaimed, 'He's da man.'" (TheJohnBatchelorshow)

"Leaders from around the world began gathering in New York for this week’s 63rd annual plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly ..Last night Shirley Lord Rosenthal hosted a dinner at her East Side apartment for Dora Bakoyannis, the Foreign Minister of Greece. Mrs. Bakoyannis is the former Mayor of Athens and is credited for bringing the Olympics to that city .. Among the guests last night were Gay and Nan Talese, Sid and Mercedes Bass, Michael Oreskes, former editor of the International Herald Tribune and his wife, Los Angeles Times columnist Geraldine Baum, Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and his wife, also a Times reporter Sheryl WuDunn .." (NYSocialDiary)

"The AP-Yahoo News poll suggests that racial prejudice could cost Obama up to 6 percentage points this fall. That's a big hurdle in a nation whose last two presidential elections were decided by much smaller margins. Charles Crozier, 73, of Marietta, Ga., said he is a "quasi-independent" Democrat who is undecided on the presidential contest. He likes McCain on energy issues, including his call for more nuclear energy. But he prefers Obama's stands on economic issues. Crozier, who is white, said race is not a factor in his thinking. He said he's not sure 'how much of an issue it is for (other) people' in his community. It frustrates him to hear people incorrectly state that Obama (who is Christian) is a Muslim because they read it on the Internet." (Yahoo!News)