Glenn Thrush

One of Sam Zell's big theories for newspapers is to get more and more local.

While Newsday was still under Mr. Zell's grasp, he managed to dismantle its national desk, and dispense with nearly every non-Long Island beat.

Even though it's finally out of his control and into the, uh, gentle hands of the Dolans, the new owners have shown no interest is straying from that philosophy. Now we're starting to learn the cost.  read more »

Newsday's star political reporter--and Hillary Clinton chronicler--Glenn Thrush is leaving the Long Island-daily for Politico. We've been wondering where Thrush would land after Hillary Clinton dropped out of the race, and now he's got the perfect forum to advertise the big-time work he's been delivering. He'll be a congressional reporter for Politico, which is a big coups for Politico as they try to demonstrate post-election relevance.

As for Newsday ... well! Their national desk, decimated like everything at that paper in recent months, loses a big time player.

Memo after the jump:  read more »

Outside, in line, BOILING. 11:22 a.m.

"Lanny, what now?" reporters ask Lanny Davis one by one. "We're going to take the White House" is his talking point today.

And here's a reporter who's been covering Hillary for the whole shebang. What's next for him? "Gonna take a week off."

Inside. There are 10 American flags in the room, six of them on the stage around the podium where she will speak. It's Mark Penn's strategy come at last to full flower, too late.

One-quarter of the floor space is unused, cordoned off.  read more »

Our Politicker colleague Jason Horowitz overheard an amusing thing in this morning's Clinton Conference call with Howard Wolfson.  read more »

It's unlikely Rudy Giuliani will be asked to testify before Hillary Clinton's congressional committee, according to Glenn Thrush.

Barack Obama won't attend the Congressional Black Caucus/Fox debate in September, which is pretty much the end of it, says Ben.

The roster of Hillary Clinton's press team is here.

Mike Bloomberg thinks Eliot Spitzer is off to a good start.

Chuck Bennett doubts the Brodsky-for-Speaker storyline.

Diane Ravitch said that the achievement gap is closing, in part, because white students are scoring lower.

Comparing lawmakers to Twinkies is wrong, says the Brennan Center.

Al Sharpton's radio listeners heard a 10-minute rambling explanation from Don Imus for his offensive remarks.

A blogger on Urban Elephants has some kind words for Eliot Spitzer because he fought "a greedy union and its hospital puppets."

Karol's guest bloggers have arrived.

A techie at the Times is now a reporter and blogger.

And pictured above is the result of some interesting zoning on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn.

-- Azi Paybarah

There is some discrepancy between Newsday's Glenn Thrush and Barack Obama accounts of whether Obama ducked the "immorality" question.

Dan Janison thinks Hillary Clinton is the new Richard Nixon.

Roger Stone thinks Al Gore is the new Richard Nixon.

The son-in-law of the real Richard Nixon, Ed Cox, will be John McCain's state chairman.

During this stage of budget negotiations, certain committees meetings are sort of pointless.

Mayor Bloomberg has a new plan to fight poverty.

Councilman Dennis Gallagher's anticipated removal of three Community Board members gets noticed.

Excelsior Racing Associates may have hurt their chances of winning the state's horse racing franchise.

And pictured above is a protester at City Hall.

-- Azi Paybarah

Glenn Thrush notes some interesting contributions to Hillary Clinton's PAC, including $12,000 in October from a handful of health care providers in Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania.

In a speech today, Barack Obama said that "there are no good options left in this war" in Iraq.

Jerry Skurnik looked at diversity in judicial races, which is a focal point in the debate about whether to elect judges through primaries or conventions.

Ballots were sent out today to members of the Transport Workers Union who have a president to elect.

The military draft probably won't come back, says Chuck Schumer.

Day 1, everything exchanges. Except maybe the economy. Fox News cancelled the OJ Simpson "If I Did It" television special.

The debate coach at Jerry Falwell's university joined John McCain's exploratory committee.

And above is Adam Green.

-- Azi Paybarah

Hillary Clinton is quitting her job on the Democratic policy steering committee in the Senate because of other time commitments, reports Glenn Thrush.

Time magazine has a Joe Klein story billed on the cover as "Why the Center is the Place to Be" but Greg Sargent says that "the story inside doesn't say anything like that."

The President picked a new RNC Chairman: Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida.

Jerry Skurnik breaks down the demographics of who will be voting in two City Council special elections.

New York magazine's well-written political blog announces that it won't be posting early or often anymore.

Eliot Spitzer and Chuck Schumer met for a bite to eat at 7:30 a.m. this morning.

Incoming GOP state chairman Joseph Mondello works at the same law firm where Assemblyman Mark Weprin is of counsel. Weprin is close to Democrats Spitzer and Sheldon Silver. And pictured above is the El San Juan Hotel and Casino, where at least one person who attended the Somos El Futuro conference is demanding some money back because the hotel's pool is under construction.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah

Jason and I have arrived! We were greeted on the second floor by a cash bar. "Premium brands" are 13 dollars. "Name brand drinks" are 11.75. Apparently it gets free-er later, which is good: Glenn Thrush is thirsty! The Bloomberg inauguration (also held here!) was the watermark in political parties. Sad. Also of note: the press room wifi is down. NY1 is replaying shamelessly Pirro's Page Ten moment. Jerry Nadler just sashayed by. It's just like Christmas up in the Sheraton! And Jason just spotted someone he wanted me to blog about but I forgot and he's looking for a free drink. Oh here he is! Jennifer Cunningham, political director of 1199, was wearing a white button that said Cara Kennedy Cuomo Something Something 2006. Like part of the family now. Also we think we spotted Vernon Jordan! To the bar! Hi-o! -- Choire Sicha

Newsday's Hillary-obsessed reporter Glenn Thrush, who had spent some time recently reporting out of Washington, is back in City Hall today, instantly doubling the number of reporters working in Room 4a.

He says that comparing Hillary's margin of victory this year to Chuck Schumer's legendary 71% is a steaming pile of, um, misguided analysis. That's because Schumer was never a target of Republican rage the way Hillary has been for years. So the question today really isn't if Hillary hits the high mark, but rather whether she avoids some designated low mark of about 60 percent.

We'll see tomorrow who else sees it that way.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah

Jon Corzine has a lot riding on Bob Menendez.

Glenn Thrush confirms our Choire Sicha's keen observation last week about Hillary Clinton dropping down to fighting weight.

Patrick Healy says that Hillary is finally having a little fun the campaign trail.

"She chuckles easily at tough questions, and tends to start her answers with the word "well," which offers an extra half second to collect her thoughts."

Maggie notes that Hillary told churchgoers that children "want discipline."

A NewYork1/Newsday poll shows Alan Hevesi ahead of Chris Callaghan by 10 points, which the Daily News calls a "comfortable" lead.

The Times reminds us that choosing a comptroller is, at least theoretically, about more than who drove who's wife around.

Newsday also says there is time for other events to affect the race.

Ben has more information on the damage control efforts by some Republican operatives in the days before the Mark Foley scandal exploded.

The Times Union endorses Eliot Spitzer for governor.

A Post editorial says scary things about potential Ways and Means chair Charlie Rangel.

The Times looks at how Joe Lieberman's testy relationship with his party has made him a carefree independent.

New York could get more federal dollars if Democrats take control of the House of Representatives.

Jeanine Pirro campaigned upstate and said she's "focused."

And it's a day late, but, as Spin Cycle pointed out yesterday, we still don't know who the Journal News meant to endorse for comptroller in this most remarkable editorial. In case you missed it.

-- Azi Paybarah

Glenn Thrush clarifies a sensational story about Barack Obama replacing Hillary Clinton as the top provider of campaign cash to fellow Democrats. (By the most objective measure, she's still number one.)

Errol Cockfield notes the irony in Alan Hevesi's claim that Chris Callaghan is unqualified to be state comptroller.

"Sure, [Hevesi] helped craft and voted on state budgets, but his resume didn't feature any work in the trenches as a financial officer."

Alan Hevesi spoke to the Times Union editorial board, and said, "I could lose this election." On the possible impeachment by the state Senate, Hevesi also said, "I will go before the Senate and just make my case." [added]

Tom Schaller offers a sneak preview of his column in tomorrow's Times about the midterm elections.

The next MTA Chairman could be Elliot Lee Sander.

Empire Zone has more info about Cuomo's late money, and notes some of it comes from Mark Green's brother.

Chuck Schumer will vote for Alan Hevesi, but not endorse him.

The Journal News offers a pretty neat election guide.

The country's most competitive races are now featured in a March Madness-type layout. Good luck.

Rock Hackshaw wants Chris Owens to run for City Council.

Political Wire gets inside Dick Chenney's mind and explains why he said Hillary Clinton could win in 2008.

The 9/11-conspiracy coffee shop in Brooklyn wants to go nationwide.

And pictured above is Mike Bloomberg with Joe Lieberman.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah

Glenn Thrush notes Hillary Clinton isn't planning a victory party for next week's primary against Jonathan Tasini. But one is expected later this year, if "she manages -- somehow -- to pull off a win in November."

Hoping to pull off a win in November is CT. Rep. Christopher Shays, who said yesterday about Iraq: "I haven't changed my position one bit." Greg Sargent, using earlier quotes from Shays, disagrees.

Also looking for something to hope for this November is a Republican volunteer who went to John Faso's campaign office and found "that nobody was there. THIS IS NO WAY TO RUN AN OFFICE!!!!"

President Bush once looked out at the Bill Clinton's Presidential Library, and thought out loud, "A submarine could take this place out."

The president of the AFL-CIO, John Sweeney, thinks "This Labor Day, it appears that a 'perfect storm' is gathering that may well sweep away Republican control of the Congress this fall."

After the Anti-Defamation League found anti-Semitic remarks on MoveOn's website, the activist group is now "working to discern whether they were made as part of a right-wing campaign to target our organization."

And a reader sends in proof that Eliot Spitzer has support from at least one of the state's four-legged constituents.  read more »

-- Azi Paybarah