Kathy Hochul, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, was joined at an Upper West Side rally today by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and a group of Manhattan Democratic elected officials that included Congressman Charles B. Rangel, Assembly Members Keith Wright and Linda Rosenthal, Council Members Dan Garodnick and Inez Dickens and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
The rally promoted the “Women’s Equality Party”, a ballot line created by Governor Cuomo and which asserts that its purpose is to “promote issues that are critical to women and our communities.”
Update – Hochul:
What’s lacking in the Democratic Party that leads you to create a new ballot line? I asked Hochul:
Here is Hochul’s full, albeit brief, speech. She begins by thanking House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for attending, noting that in Hochul’s 2011 special election “I hadn’t met you yet, but according to all the TV ads by the Koch brothers and Karl Rove you would have thought we were shopping buddies.” David Koch, one of those same Koch brothers, is a substantial contributor to Hochul’s running mate, Governor Andrew Cuomo. David Koch and his his wife Julia have given Andrew Cuomo a combined $87,000 according to state Board of Elections records. (Here’s a flashback to Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota discussing David Koch’s contributions to Andrew Cuomo.)
Charles B. Rangel:
Congressman Rangel attended, giving a speech in support of Hochul. He gave a particularly memorable performance afterwards, however. From quizzing a New York Observer reporter as to whether he really works for the NY Post to reacting with playful shock at the sight of another reporter who extensively covered Rangel’s recent congressional primary, Rangel parried, attacked and laughed, all while defending Andrew Cuomo. Here’s his full press availability: