opposed to primaries? why have general elections for that matter!
just sell the office to the highest bidder and use the funds to cut taxes

Mr Jacobs reason for being against primary challenges is a perfect example of why we need public funding of all campaigns along with a certain amount of free media time for all candidates.

Also, I can no longer send money to either the state party or the DNC because of their resistance to progressive challengers. Why should I support Rep Rangel--who didn't pay his taxes & got a sweetheart deal on his rent-stabilized apartments. Or how about Denny Farrell, another entrenched, entitled status quo-er. Look at all the corrupt, sleazy so-called Democrats in NY politics-- Espada, Smith, Seabrook, Monserrate, too many to remember. Spitzer's looking pretty good these days.

I'll never vote republican, but I don't have to vote for these guys--I just won't vote.

Wow. Party oligarch is opposed to primaries. Surprise.

That doesn't mean that I like Ford... he's already been bought and paid for by Wall Street. And it would be nice if he was actually from NY. I will write in Mickey Mouse rather than vote for Ford if he's the candidate. At least Mickey never worked on Wall Street.

Hey Brian, what about Johnson's drug conviction?

No primary?!

So the Democratic machine eliminates the primary in favor of a backroom appointment.

Then a competing candidate who _would have run in the primary_ instead runs in the general election and splits the Democratic vote -- handing the election to the Republicans.

Well, that would be consistent with Democratic 'strategy' over the past year.

Wow. Party oligarch is opposed to primaries. Surprise.

That doesn't mean that I like Ford... he's already been bought and paid for by Wall Street. And it would be nice if he was actually from NY. If he winds up being the candidate, I'll write in Mickey Mouse rather than vote for him because we are all lost.

The guest is right, both (Gillibrand and Ford) are hypocritical two-faced panderers who will do and say whatever it takes to get be senator. The seat’s a good as Republican.
This is not a primary, it’s a farce wholly set in motion by Barak Obama’s meddling in New York State politics and he’s the sole reason there will be one Republican in the Senate.

I am tired of out-of-state politicians and charlatans coming here and running for office. I was against Hilary [Hillary?] coming here and running although I did vote for her the first time round. Granted we have mostly scum here but we do have good people like Anthony Weiner and, uh, oh let's see, mmmm, uhhhh... well we do have Anthony Weiner [Wiener?]. I'd like to have him run for Senator.

Please tell me we'll have a Democratic alternative to Gillibrand, Ford, Patterson, and Cuomo. If this is the best we can do, it's no wonder this Blue state is so blue.

As to the NY Times article on Patterson, IF this is the story the paper has been hyping all this time, we should hold their feet to the fire for incredibly shoddy, sensationalistic journalism. At least the NY Post would have given us an amusing headline in four (single-syllable) words or less.

The New York Times Esquire? Haven't read that rag since early '70s.

After reading the NYT Public Editor column this Sunday, my understanding is that the Times did not create the hype about their article, and did the right thing by not responding to the hubbub and just published what they had when it was appropriate. The hype turned out to be just that.

if only the national GOP were as lost as the NYS GOP. on one hand we know the country would be better off, on the other we can see how bad one party rule can be.

what are the chances that a new progressive party could be born in the empire state? the 2 party system just isn't working any more.