"Mr. Dinkins, Will You Please Be My Mayor?" - A Tribe Called Quest

This morning's NYSD breakfast included speeches by New Jersey Governor Corzine, NY State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Congressman Mike Honda (sp? Casey?), and Anthony Badia, who's campaigning for congress in Minnesota.  

Also in attendance, Governor Paterson, Former Mayor Dinkins, and my Congresswoman, Nydia Velazquez.  Sitting there drinking coffee while listening to politicians and union leaders was like living inside my TV screen on a Sunday morning.  

After the breakfast I introduced myself to Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, who I'd interned for in 2005 when I was trying to figure out my career path.  She wanted me to buy her book, which does look interesting:  Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: Why Women's Lives Aren't Getting Any Easier and How we Can Make Real Progress for Ourselves and Our Daughters.  I chatted with her daughter Virginia, who is very sweet and goes to Princeton.

***Flashback Sequence***

My brief two months at Maloney's district office was very enlightening.  I spent the majority of my time writing letters on behalf people who were seeking citizenship, and it still bothers me how many hours in that office were spent working for non-citizens, even though I do support immigration (especially of Italian and Brazilian men).  I remember Maloney sincerely weighing what to do about the Iraq war.    Oh wait, I think I signed something that prevents me from talking about things in detail.  There goes my political career!

But the most ridiculous thing was the neighborhoods she represented - NYC is so gerrymandered it's ridiculous. The Upper East Side plus Midtown between 54th and 59th over to 8th Ave plus Long Island City plus Astoria plus Roosevelt Island isn't exactly a cohesive district with similar needs in regard to representation.

Check these awesome pins they were selling outside the Ballroom.  Can you guess which one I want?