This is not going to be much of a post, and I'm post-deadline a couple of ways anyway. Maybe I'll make a mistake or two. But there's a big deadline elsewhere to-day too, so I've got to make the time.
I have to admit that after some subconscious dormancy, the ramifications of the Zephyr Teachout for Governor of the State of New York campaign has registered on my radar at last. I'm intrigued by the prospects as well as the history as she files her petitions to put herself on the ballot--against fellow Democrat and Governor Andrew Cuomo--in the State's Democratic gubenatorial primary.
Have I really known (or at least known of) Teachout for over a decade now? That's time for you. I was supporting John Kerry in 2004, when this site was new, and Teachout was an arch-Deaniac.
I'm a lot older than Teachout and I thought at the time that the zeal of the Deaniacs meant trouble for Kerry, who at least wasn't George Bush. But it's a decade later and I've only grow to share some of the misgivings Teachout has for corruption and the see-no-evil stylings of either side of the aisle, including ours. God, how could you not? California has been rocked by Democratic scandal after scandal, and as someone closer than most to the various proceedings, I can only say that Dems in the state are skating compared to where they could be.
So Teachout is filing her petitions this afternoon--and she appears to have enough.
She got a good shout-out in the New York Observer just to-day from Manhattan Council alum Robert Jackson.
When I heard that Teachout was nearing her petition filing date, the first thing I thought was, "I'd better check DailyKos" to see how people are receiving the news. I did. Didn't find much--but maybe I'm missing something. I know I'm not one of those Internet-savvy Deaniacs of yesteryear that I fretted about in 2004.
But I'll say this: to me, despite all the obvious political effrontery, and the potential damage it could do to Cuomo if this actually goes well, this is welcome news. Over the years, Teachout has been accessible and friendly despite some differences of opinion. My own personal theory of politics involves personal responsibility and ethics, and in those departments I have full confidence in her.
So now I'm tuned in, and I'll be watching a little more closely. How about those people who were here a decade ago? I'm wondering especially what they're thinking.
