Spin Cycle

The quotes add up to a lot of posturing and no action, so all but the process junkies can skip this entry, but they were out in the open Tuesday. A hug of Sen. Dean Skelos by Paterson at the end of the session reminded one sharp Albany observer of Don Rickles getting pseudo-sentimental at the end of an insult-spewing Friar's Roast. A few samples:

Paterson to Skelos: “I never got a suggestion from you. What I got is a lecture.” At a prior session, Skelos told Paterson he did not need to be lectured as he was in law school.

“Maybe we’ve made — amazingly — some progress here,” Paterson said at the session's end.

Tedisco, Assembly GOP minority leader, drew this barb from Paterson: “Today is exam day and you’re just talking about getting your homework done.”

Paterson on the open nature of the session: “This is the closest I’ve seen to an actual leaders meeting. What you are really observing is… people in government trying to work situations out,”

Skelos to Paterson: "You stated, 'I wanted the Senate and Assembly to vote on my bill, whatever way the bills go.'... The Senate is ready to honor your request."

Paterson reply: "I didn't mean the exact bill that was printed. That has never happened in this institution. ... I put the bills out, and I allowed all of your to make corrections, to make adjustments."

Senate Democratic Majority Leader-in-waiting Malcolm Smith called Skelos' objections "a charade" and "gamesmanship."

Below you find the real Rickles with a previous governor: