Walt Handelsman

Coming to these conventions is always such a sureal experience. This is the fifth time I've been lucky enough to be sent to draw cartoons at the conventions and although it's hectic getting around the crowded venues and a real pain standing in the long, slow lines to get through security...The bottom line is I love the excitement.

This is a news junkies crack house!

It turns out that on this very morning the power center of New York politics was at United Airlines gate C-14 at LaGuardia airport where I just happened to be seated.

To the right of me sat Congressman Gary Ackerman. To the left of me sat Congressman Steve Israel. In front of me sat Suffolk legislative big-wig Jon Cooper. And holding court in the aisle across from me was none other than the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Sheldon Silver.

Luckily Shelly didn't mention any of the mean spirited (read: funny) cartoons I have done about him lately. He spoke in hushed tones...I think they were holding some sort of secret meeting about the pros and cons of the airport bran muffins.

Jon Cooper casually mentioned to me that he hadn't met any Hillary supporters who were not solidly behind Obama...To which a random woman seated behind us poked up her head and said, " I'm not...I still support Hillary! "

Let the fun begin!

At one point Congressman Israel seemed to be working the room. All I could think was these folks had already paid the extra bag fee and now they were being hit up for a campaign contribution at Gate C-14!

For the record, Gary Ackerman sat in First class, Jon Cooper sat in the middle of the plane, Steve Israel was smashed into a window seat next to a squirming child while I sat comfortably behind him in an aisle seat chuckling to myself.

The esteemed Mr Silver sat in close proximity to the true seat of power on an airplane...across from the bathroom.

Cartoonist Disclaimer: I am a cartoonist. I am not a professional writer. I doodle for a living. I embellish the facts and twist reality on a daily basis and get paid for it. If these convention blog entries have misspellings and incorrect punctuation please do not contact my editor to complain. She may get mad and not send me back in 4 years.

Give a news junkie a break!

More tomorrow---Walt