Our Indiscretions Sometimes Serve Us Well

New York Republican gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio may not possess the oratorical skills of Ronald Reagan, nor may he demonstrate the chutzpa of Chris Christie but, when this man spoke at the July 27th meeting of the Nesconset Chamber Of Commerce, held at The Watermill in Smithtown, his message was indiscernible from either of these gentlemen. Irrespective of his soft spoken approach, Mr. Lazio’s campaign themes of tax cuts, pragmatic reform and smaller government were well received by the approximately 150 people in attendance.

Lazio’s opponent for New York’s highest seat is the current Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo. Because of Cuomo’s name recognition and theatrical flair, his campaign has been quick to claim a premature November victory. Lazio, however, has consistently maintained a sharp and unwavering focus on the issues at hand: the dysfunction in Albany and his plans to effect a remedy.

Prior to this event, I believed that Mr. Lazio’s lack of rhetorical fire was an insurmountable obstacle to his election. However, as I listened to and reflected upon this candidate’s low key style, I began to take a different point of view. It occurred to me that New Yorkers were initially impressed with the gravitas of Elliot Spitzer; Mario Cuomo, father of Andrew Cuomo, was known for his mastery of words. Irrespective of their aptitude for charm, these former governors left New York in a state of abject disrepair. Gone may be the days of the flashy New York Governor whose gift for catchy sound bites are equaled by his bent for reckless spending. Perhaps New Yorkers have lost their taste for demagoguery, gaining wisdom as a result of past mistakes.

As the election season commences in earnest, voters will immediately discern a sharp distinction in the personalities of the candidates running for governor. Andrew Cuomo, son of an icon, is prone to vitriol and tends to be most emphatic in his speech. Rick Lazio, of middle class roots, is unassuming by nature, yet articulate and proven in ability. Will New Yorkers finally come to realize that words alone, cannot make a governor; that ideas and actions are much more potent tools? The tax reforms and spending cuts espoused by Mr. Lazio are the types of measures that New Yorkers desperately require. After years of our subjection to melodrama and countless indiscretions, the concise and understated style of Republican Rick Lazio, in conjunction with his conservative ideals, offers New Yorkers an extraordinary opportunity to effect a reformation of their state. In recent years, New York voters have fallen prey to the charms of sophism. Hopefully, they have come to realize that ideas and substance, not rhetoric and pomp, mark the true measure of a governor. The upcoming elections will reveal whether or not the New York electorate is capable of self improvement. In the words of Hamlet, upon his own reformation, “our indiscretions sometimes serve us well”. New York voters will soon be put to the test as they choose to heed or defy Shakespeare’s wisdom.



Jeremy Pitcoff