PARDON THE ALBANY GEEK MOMENT
As you should know by now, I spent my first 14 years of chronological adulthood working for the New York State Assembly. And even though my employment ended effective December 31, 1996, once you've been immersed in Albany, a part of it stays with you. That's why I read the Albany Times-Union's Capitol Confidential blog on a close-to-daily basis... because even though a lot of the players have changed over the past decade, the game remains the same.

One of the highlights in Albany is the annual Legislative Correspondents' Association show, in which the media mocks the political establishment and the politicians mock themselves... if they know what's good for them. Thankfully, people have uploaded some clips from last weekend's show to YouTube, and I have to share.

But I have to apologize in advance, because they're a bit, um, 'insidery.' If you don't know that Governor Eliot Spitzer is a self-descibed 'steamroller' with a take-no-prisoners approach to governing, and that he's bitterly and publicly feuded with most of the people in the following clip, it probably isn't very funny. So you'll just have to take my word that it's hysterical:


As for the next few clips, here's some quick background information: last year, New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi got himself in trouble when it was discovered that state employees were being used to chauffeaur his wife (and one of his aides also chauffeured actress Peggy Lipton... yes, New York State politics can be strange.) Hevesi was unsuccessfully challenged last November by Republican Chris Callaghan, but was nevertheless forced to resign in January. (His replacement was Democrat Tom DiNapoli, despite Spitzer's best efforts; see 'The Coutship of Eddie's Father' segment in the above clip.)

At the LCA show, Callaghan got his revenge. Too bad he didn't show this much humor on the campaign trail last fall; he might be Comptroller today. First, Chris Callaghan sings 'If I Were Comptroller'...


Then, he gives us his take on some other Albany topics:


Ah... I miss that place sometimes...