[Lindsay Price, Brooke Burns, Sanaa Lathan. Photos by ANDREAS BRANCH for PMc]

So maybe you've heard by now, but Governor Paterson has slipped a policy regarding gay marriage under the noses of state legislators and now the right wing is NOT HAPPY. The governor singlehandedly passed a directive that makes state agencies honor same-sex marriages performed outside of the state of New York where gay marriage is not legal—and everyone else found out two weeks later. Umm….!!!

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Remember the Tammany Hall days when overweight men in suits that imbibed too much alcohol ran a political machine while smoking cigars in a back room? Well, none of us remember those days, because we're living in a post "political reform" era when our politicians are supposed to be fairly elected to public office by the people and uphold the law thereafter. Yet corruption is even older than any political system, as we've seen firsthand an awful lot lately here in New York. The latest victim of the egoism that leads politicians to believe they won't be caught with their hands in the cookie jar: City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

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[Photo via Rush Limbaugh]

With our gubernatorial train wreck of the last week, a recent spate of Clinton-Spitzer comparisons have been circulating, none of which can be very good for Hillary's prospects. We've been barraged with side by side accounts of precisely how much sex (free or otherwise) our politicians feel they need to keep their head in the political game. Does it matter that Spitzer was so blatantly careless about his exploits while Clinton, himself a chronic womanizer, seemed to conduct his affairs with something bordering on *discretion*? Our favorite choice bits from the scandal roundup:

"Here you had a guy who saw himself as a Jewish Kennedy in the making—combining the dash and idealism of John with the self-righteous ruthlessness of Bobby—and imagined his family at the center, one day, of a kosher Camelot. Is it any wonder that a man harboring such conceits would come to believe that he could dip his wick with impunity? (And at the very hotel where JFK is said to have, er, entertained Judith Campbell Exner!) I think not." - NY Mag

A Pants Down Primer [NY Mag]
Hillary Clinton's Spitzer Problem [Washington Post]
How Is Spitzer Different From Clinton [Slate]
What It Means To Be A Fighter [Daily Kos]
The Clinton-Spitzer Comparison [Volokh Conspiracy]

Extra may have offered "Kristin" $100K, but it was still The New York Times that broke her identity along with photographs by employing a combination of shoe-leather reporting and MySpace surfing. Let this be a cautionary lesson to all of you that may want to post personal information and photographs online if you are involved in something illegal, like prostitution. What the Times reporters found: Her name is Ashley Youmans but she is known as Ashley Alexandra Dupre, she's from New Jersey, is 22, and is into her music. She even owns an entertainment company called Pasche New York, but apparently it wasn't enough to pay the bills when the man she was with walked out on her, leading her to a job in the escort business. (This is also a cautionary tale about trying to live in this city on no money.) According to her MySpace, she comes from a broken home, has gone through abuse, suffered drug addiction and been broke and homeless before. You almost can't blame her for not wanting to go back to that.

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Twenty-four hours since the scandal broke, AND....Governor Spitzer is still hanging on. I don't know who else is geeky enough to have The New York Times set as a homepage, but following the headline changes today was entertaining in and of itself. First, there was no word on resignation; then, his own aides were talking to the press and saying the resignation was probably going to happen; New York's next governor was all lined up and waiting in the wings; now, "Resignation by Spitzer Not Likely Today." Apparently, New York also hangs in limbo as we wait for him to resign. I'd say it's more like Bizarro World, like in that Seinfeld episode, as the ethics guy ends up killing his own career with high-priced hookers.

Lieutenant Governor David A. Paterson is just waiting to step up to the plate. If he ascends to New York State's highest position, he will be the first ever legally blind man to hold this office. Nasty comment overheard in the newsroom: "At least he won't care what the hookers look like."

Dreams. We’ve all had a prophetic one of sorts in our lives. You know, the one where that guy from your Art History class suddenly appears as a lumberjack and guides you out of a forest full of unicorns the size of bumble bees and you wake and think to yourself, ‘Maybe I’m kind of into him.’? No? Well, maybe it’s not a guy from your class. Maybe it’s your neighbor from that farm town in Kansas you used to live in with the lawn ornaments, or the bodega dude who knows exactly how you like your coffee. Or maybe it’s Hillary or Barack. Maybe they’re trying to tell you something. Or, maybe the universe is trying to prepare you for something. Following me here? Not yet? Well, if you are one of the many whose mind is vexed continuously by the present Democratic struggle for a presidential candidate, then perhaps one of the front runners has crept his or her way into your dream cycle? Perhaps, if you were able to share the scenario that took place in this dream, and piece it together with the many others who are also meeting personally with the candidates in their subconscious, together we all could piece together a massive puzzle. That’s where www.idreamofhillaryidreamofbarack.com comes in. People across the globe (with internet access and a command of the English language) can share their sleepy-time adventures with everyone. So far I’ve read plenty of Obama sexy dreams, but have yet to come across a Clinton/Obama encounter. If I were writing my own dream dictionary, I’d have to say that would most likely qualify as a “split ticket”, but we won’t get too graphic about “who’s on top.” Ewwwww.

[Photo via NY Times]

Recent liaison-squawks aside (did anyone else find the NYT expose to be 5 pages of desperately disguised prattle?), we think Mr. McCain's biggest failing is not his undeniable penchant for icy blondes, but his dearth of understanding regarding his younger would-be constituents. An exhaustive campaign apparel investigation uncovered offerings good ("We need a real bush in the White house" thongs), baaad (totes adorned with sheep and stones --get it?) and puzzling (Huckabee's "I Like Mike tees" -- hello, your first name is not your selling point)...see pics below. More»

[Photo from NY Mag]

Kurt Anderson is a favorite writer of ours.  When we saw his new article in this week's NY Magazine on this year's presidential election titled "Anatomy of a Freak Show.  (Romney + Huckabee)/0 + .01 McCain + ?Giuliani = Bush. And some other things we've learned about this long, strange race" , we knew we were in for an interesting take on the issue.  In it he lays out 10 statements as to why this race is such a unique one, our favorites included:

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[Photo from Gridskipper]

"Is this a joke?" That was the first thing that came to my mind while reading the article in the Times today about the Presidential candidates' campaign staff speaking out in their candidate's names about the Mercury Sushi Scare that has been plaguing our city. If you are having a hard time deciding on who to pick, as the thought of anyone in office over Bush makes you giddy with excitement, maybe their sushi stances will help make your decision easier:

John Edwards: “We have to stand up for the millions of impoverished Americans who go to bed every night unable even to dream about tuna sushi. This is the other America, not the fat cats plunking down $400 at places like Masa in New York. We need to speak up for the little guy, the guy who gets mercury poisoning and then sits for hours in a hospital emergency room because he can’t afford health insurance.”

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Ever wonder how to cruise at an Airport or your local truck stop?  Well, just take a page out of Minnesota Republican Senator Larry Craig's playbook:

"According to Roll Call, the arresting officer alleged that Craig lingered outside a rest room stall where the officer was sitting, then entered the stall next door and blocked the door with his luggage...[then] Craig tapped his right foot, which the officer said he recognized 'as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct.'"

We can only imagine the look on the cruising Senator's face after the officer told him he was under arrest.  We can then only imagine the look on his face after he immediately realizes that he has to tell his socially conservative voting constituency. 

Bets are being taken whether Craig will enter rehab a la Mark Foley.  In the meantime try and reconcile his voting history with his cruisin' habits:

1)Senator Craig has received much praise for his voting record from conservative groups including American Family Association, Concerned Women for America and the Family Research Council

2)1996 voted for Defense of Marriage Act (Stops Federal recognition of same-sex marriage, and allows states to ignore legal same-sex unions made in other states).

3)1996 voted against bill outlawing employment discrimination based on sexual orientation

4)Opposed having federal hate crimes bill cover gay and lesbian motivated hate crimes

 Hmmm...someone hasn't been very honest with themselves...