Dan's Papers - March 13, 2009 - SOUTHAMPTON DEMS (YES, SOUTHAMPTON) UNITE

There's no doubt the Democratic Party is on the rise in Southampton. Organizers of last Saturdays John P. Spata Southampton Democratic Club breakfast meeting, held at the Princess Diner, underestimated the attendance as extra tables and chairs had to be located to seat the more than 100 attendees, who seemed to be mostly over 40, with most perhaps over 65.

Opening the meeting, Club President Grania Brolin beamed at the success of the Dems in Southampton, pointing to November's election of Sally Pope to Town Council and Andrea Schiavone to the bench. The featured speaker was Judith Hope, the first women elected Town Supervisor on Long Island (East Hampton). That position launched Hope's illustrious career, which included her role as a confidante to now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and contributed to her vast knowledge of all that has happened, is happening, and will happen in Albany.

Hope was introduced by Betty Schein, a long time New York State social activist and Shinnecock Hills resident. With up-to-the-second assessments of what's going on politically, Hope's presentation was spellbinding. She brought the audience up to speed on the Medicaid situation in the state, the dynamics of the new Democratic controlled N.Y. State Senate and the Democratic controlled N.Y. State Assembly, and gave perhaps the most positive assessment of Governor David Paterson ever heard, calling his budget expertise in New York State second to none. However she all but admitted his re-election will be an uphill battle. Hope also pointed out the obvious lack of women in state government. Oddly, she stated that, before his fall from grace, former Governor Elliot Spitzer was presidential timber.

She lamented on the pitfalls of the state news media saying, "It is too caught up in personalities due to the 24 hour a day news cycles." Her critique of New York State's newly appointed senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, was thorough and enlightening, starting with Gillibrand's political heritage, the reasons for her pro-NRA votes in the House, and predicting that, if re-elected, she may be in the Senate for years. Hope stressed that the first reelection is important. After all, it was she who, according to Clinton's book, Living History, first suggested Clinton run for Senator.

Answering questions, Hope revealed how she could keep up with the best of them on State politics. Most astounding was her pronouncement on the reality of state government. "It is not the individuals in Albany that are corrupt; it is the system that is corrupt," she stated.

Also on hand at the breakfast was Southampton Councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst, who most likely will be the party's choice to take on present Southampton Town Supervisor Linda Kabot in the coming November elections. That will be determined in early May when the Southampton Democratic Party nominating committee officially convenes. Throne-Holst, low key and congenial, seems to be positioning herself as someone who may be able to step forward and react to the serious issues facing the Town of Southampton, responsibilities that go way beyond her councilwoman duties. When asked after the breakfast if she had the expertise to address all the problems facing Southampton as supervisor, Throne-Holst stared at me and said nothing - as if I were crazy to ask. The reason I did was because another local town supervisor predicts dire budget problems for Southampton. Many in the room believe that if that happens, the next election for Southampton Town Supervisor may remove the head lock the Republicans have had on that job since President Eisenhower.

A taste for winning elections is a positive toxin for the Club's spirit. With the country bending toward Democratic party rule in Washington, there was a feeling within the room that the Supervisor's gavel is within reach. For information on the Southampton Democratic Club, call 631-237-4821 or email brolin@ optonline.net.