New Poll in CD-23 Shows Hoffman in Statistical Dead Heat

Our thanks to Rottenchester, proprietor of The Fighting 29th and all-around expert on New York's 29th Congressional District, for bringing to our attention the latest poll in the 23rd CD.

A new Research 2000/Daily Kos poll shows basically a tie between Owens (D) and Hoffman (C).

Rottenchester tells us:

Whatever you think of Kos, his polls are high quality, done by a good polling organization.   He publishes his crosstabs, and it's a bigger sample (600).

Special elections are hard to poll in general.   But at this point, it looks like Scozzafava is out.

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Hissy Fit

We've learned that Democratic Chairman Joe Morelle stormed out of a meeting of the Fair Election Practices Committee in a hissy fit yesterday  --  after the Committee found Democratic County Legislature Candidates Moscato (Gates), Condello (Henrietta) and Coon (Greece) guilty of falsifying a quotation on a campaign mailing.

The Fair Election Practices Committee is a joint effort of the League of Women Voters and the Interfaith Council of Rochester, organizations with impeccable liberal credentials.

Story here.

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Albany on the Genesee

What kind of government can we expect in Monroe County after Democrats take the County Legislature next Tuesday?

For starters, we'll see the sensibilities, priorities and, worst of all, policy approaches of the state government in Albany transplanted right here to Rochester.

One reason we expect Democrats to take the legislature is because of failure by the County Republican Party to hit this message hard. Their "taxes" ad hits it only as a secondary issue, focusing only on one part of the problem.

What Republicans should be running are ads saying:   "If you like the State Legislature in Albany, you're going to love the County Legislature under the Democrats."   Consider:

• County Legislator Harry Bronson is an employee of the New York State Assembly.   He's the Leader of the Legislature's Democratic Caucus.   Bronson works directly for Susan John, who chairs the Assembly Labor Committee, which he serves as legal counsel.   John could have Bronson fired on a moment's notice.



• Democratic Legislator Vincent Esposito is also an employee of the State Assembly, working directly for Assemblyman Joe Morelle.   He also can be fired at any time for not towing the line.



• Democratic Legislator Glenn Gamble's day job is with the Baden Street Settlement, whose major funding comes directly from grants from Assemblyman David Gantt.   Nice little job you have there, Glenn.   Be a shame if anything happened to it.



• Democratic Assistant Leader Calvin Lee holds the "Gantt seat" in the Democratic leadership of the county legislature and is a long-time Gantt loyalist.



• Democratic Legislator Carrie Andrews is an employee of the United Teachers union, the State Assembly's conjoined twin.   They'd fire her in a heartbeat if Morelle, Gantt or John ordered it.   Just as Assembly members can't afford to upset UT, the union doesn't want to upset the Assembly.   A classic symbiotic relationship.



• A majority of Democratic County Legislators have districts in the City.   Morelle or Gantt easily could take out any of them in primaries if either wanted to.   The Democratic county legislators all know it.

In short, most of the Democratic County Legislators risk losing either their jobs, or their office if primaried by Morelle- or Gantt-sponsored candidates.

The State Assembly owns these people.

We're about to become, more directly and tangibly than ever before, a colonial outpost of the worst state government in the country.

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Margaret Trevett -- Standing Out!

Endorsing Democrat Margaret Trevett for Penfield Supervisor, the Democrat and Chronicle called her the candidate who "stood out most."

I'll say. How's this for standing out: being the candidate for Supervisor who doesn't know when the Town Board votes on the annual budget!

Monroe Rising reports this exchange, at a public forum at the September 9 meeting of Penfield Town Board:

Trevett: Will it ever be possible to vote on the budget before election?

Supervisor Wiedemer: We will vote on it before election.

Councilwoman Linda Kohl: We do every year.

Trevett: I thought it was always voted in November.

Wiedemer: No, no.

Here it is on video, courtesy of Monroe Rising



There's a candidate who really stands out.

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Second Poll Shows Hoffman Ahead

A Neighborhood Research/Mountainside Media poll taken October 25-26 of 366 likely voters shows Hoffman (C) at 34%, Owens (D) at 29% and Scozzafava (R) at 14%.

Looks like a 2- way race between Hoffman and Owens, after this and yesterday's poll.

The New York Post endorsed Hoffman today.

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Momentum for Hoffman in CD-23?

A poll released today shows Hoffman (C) in the lead with 31.3%, Owens (D) at 27.0% and Scatterbrain (R) or whatever her name is at 19.7%.

We didn't know the Club for Growth did polling.

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Is the District Attorney's Office Regaining its Ethics?

A week or so ago we wondered if, in the withdrawal of fraudulent felony charges against the County GOP Executive Director, we were witnessing District Attorney Michael Green's conscience struggling with the demands of Joe Morelle to deliver Democratic election victories through abusive prosecutions.

Now comes news that Green says he won't bring any more indictments before the November election.   Apparently Green made this statement recently on Bob Lonsberry's radio program.

We only first heard of it this weekend.   That's what we get for listening to low-brow drivel like Diane Rehm instead of the sophisticated, educational Lonsberry show.

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Lifeline from the Pope

Last week Pope Benedict gave a lifeline to long-suffering traditionalists in the U.S. Episcopal Church and Anglican churches worldwide. The Vatican announced that Anglican dioceses and parishes can convert to the Roman Catholic Church. They can continue to worship using Anglican liturgy.

This is good news to many Episcopalians/Anglicans. For the Catholic Church, it brings in the beauty of the Anglican liturgy. First Things points out, "This may accelerate the already-growing movement within the Catholic church to correct some of the liturgical excesses and errors we’ve seen in the last 40 years."

For dioceses or parishes that convert to Rome, the Episcopal hierarchy will naturally respond in its usual Christian way, by suing to take these parishes' churches away from them. SOP for a church whose "inclusiveness" somehow has no room for people of traditionalist views.

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Concealing the Albany Connection

We're struck by the risible deception in a Democrat and Chronicle endorsement this morning.   The paper describes County Legislator Harry Bronson's occupation as "attorney who specializes in social justice."   Whatever that means.

What the paper carefully omits is Bronson's actual employment:   staff member of the New York State Assembly.

That's what pays the mortgage at chateau Bronson.

This omission is deliberate.   The D&C knows better than anyone that people are "fed up with Albany," so they're careful to suppress the connection, lest voters realize the same crowd that runs Albany will be running the County government if the Democrats take the County Legislature.

We're working on a post on this very subject, to appear shortly.

We're not criticizing the endorsement.   Just pointing out the significance of this particular suppression of truth by the Democrat and Chronicle.

In any event, the endorsement is superfluous.   Bronson has one of those City districts where the Democratic candidate for anything can blow up a kindergarten and still get elected.   That's yet another problem in local government.

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"And We Endorse Bernie Madoff for Chair of the SEC, Too"

The Democrat and Chronicle today endorses County Legislator Paul Haney, "based largely on his experience in government finance."

And what extraordinary experience it is!   Haney was architect and mastermind of the infamous $40 million budget deficit coverup in 1992, when he was County Finance Director.   Architect of the deficit he covered up, too.   Just a foretaste of life under the legislature's coming Democratic majority.

O brave new world, that has such people in't!

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He is Shocked. Shocked!

County Democratic Chairman Joe Morelle is upset because Republican candidates for County Legislature are talking about the County budget -- of all things! -- in their campaign mailings.

Morelle says it's a dirty trick.   Right, Joe.   A dirty trick.   Not like the honorable campaign tactic of orchestrating fraudulent indictments, timed to an election.

We've seen before at least one example of Joe Morelle apparently assuming stupidity on the part of voters.   Morelle's successive re-elections no doubt have trained him to think that way about his Assembly District.

But really, Joe.   The whole county?

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Mex in the City

Venus and I visited Mex, at 295 Alexander Street, last Saturday. Our first visit since Mex resumed its restaurant operation.

Bar

Mex's edgy yet inviting ambience is especially congenial as the weather turns cooler. Its outdoor patio area does the trick in warmer weather. Good wine selection and good selection on tap. The bar is laid out with a sitting area on either side of the central, curved bar. Both sitting areas have comfy chairs, evoking a slightly disreputable Starbucks. In other words, just the right bar atmosphere. Candle sconces add to the mood, and it's fun to sit in the front alcove with a drink and watch the passing scene on Alexander Street.

The bar crowd is a younger, convivial group. Age-wise typical of the night scene in the East/Alexander area, yet we baby-boomers felt right at home.

Restaurant

Mex's restaurant is upstairs. The experience begins with highly superior nacho chips and salsa. Red white and yellow chips offer the right medium for Mex's home-made chunky salsa. Their salsa is the real deal. None of this out-of-the-jar-from-Wegman's stuff.

Venus had the two-enchilada plate, with cheese and chorizo enchiladas (a deal at $10.50). I had the chorizo burrito (with rice and beans, $12.50). The burrito seemingly defies gravity. I don't know how Mex turns out a light, delicate burrito, given all the goodies it's stuffed with -- chorizo, cheese, sour cream, tomato, lettuce, white onions and pinto beans -- but it does. The result is totally filling while seeming lighter than air, with a wonderfully unique chili sauce overlay. Together with a nourishing tumbler of Dos Equis -- primo.

The enchiladas had a depth and substance lacking in your typical "Mexican" calorie mill's dry tortilla wrapped around the filling. Mex's menu says their enchiladas are "wet." That has to be part of the difference, that and the superior Mex house chili sauce.

Mexican fare as interpreted in the Northeast U.S. often differs little from one place to the other. Mex in Rochester distinguishes itself from the pack. At a most reasonable price.

If you live outside of the City, ditch the suburban chain-swill and see what something genuine tastes like, at Mex.

A superb choice for drinks, but you're missing something special if you don't dine there, too. The restaurant floor's "Mexican skull art" motif is just the thing for a night out in the Halloween season.

Mex
295 Alexander Street, Rochester
262-3060
closed Sunday and Monday

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