SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - New York Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer pledged to create an administration open to views from politicians from all parties, saying Saturday that Americans want conciliation and leaders who can work together to resolve issues.
Spitzer, who won a landslide victory over Republican John Faso in Tuesday's election, spoke after having breakfast with Puerto Rico's governor, Anibal Acevedo Vila, at La Fortaleza - Acevedo's residence and office in the colonial-era district of Old San Juan.
The war in Iraq was one factor in America's rejection of Republican politicians at the polls, but they also were delivering a “broad-based rejection of the rigidity of the Bush administration's approach to issues,” such as tax and education policies, and health care, said Spitzer, who was joined by his wife, Silda.
The Bush administration lacked the willingness “to discuss, to engage, to do what he had promised - which was to have an open hearing for other views,” Spitzer said. “The American public stood up and said, ‘Wait a minute, we want conciliation, we want people to sit down and resolve issues rather than to be ideologues.”'
In Spitzer's administration, “there will not be a rigidity, there will not be a rejection of those who have a different party affiliation,” he said.
“I have sought bipartisanship.”
Spitzer, who made a national name as New York's attorney general by forcing reforms on Wall Street and corporate America, takes over the governorship after 12 years of Republican rule.
“With the shifting power structure in Washington, we are hopeful that both Puerto Rico and New York will benefit from the opportunity now to get what we view to be our fair share of federal dollars, whether it is for health care or education or housing,” he said.
It's not clear how long Spitzer's visit will be to the U.S. territory, which has close ties with New York, home to a large Puerto Rican population.
Acevedo said he shared his experience with Spitzer about trying to shift the economy of Puerto Rico - a pharmaceutical hub - toward research and development.
“We shared the experience that, precisely that New York has in terms of emphasizing research and development, and how we can partner together in the near future in order to foster more economic development for both,” Acevedo said.
Puerto Rico, seized by the U.S. in 1898, is home to 3.9 million people.
Puerto Ricans can't vote in U.S. federal elections and their representative to U.S. Congress is nonvoting.
The war in Iraq was one factor in America's rejection of Republican politicians at the polls, but they also were delivering a “broad-based rejection of the rigidity of the Bush administration's approach to issues,” such as tax and education policies, and health care, said Spitzer, who was joined by his wife, Silda.
The Bush administration lacked the willingness “to discuss, to engage, to do what he had promised - which was to have an open hearing for other views,” Spitzer said. “The American public stood up and said, ‘Wait a minute, we want conciliation, we want people to sit down and resolve issues rather than to be ideologues.”'
In Spitzer's administration, “there will not be a rigidity, there will not be a rejection of those who have a different party affiliation,” he said.
“I have sought bipartisanship.”
Spitzer, who made a national name as New York's attorney general by forcing reforms on Wall Street and corporate America, takes over the governorship after 12 years of Republican rule.
“With the shifting power structure in Washington, we are hopeful that both Puerto Rico and New York will benefit from the opportunity now to get what we view to be our fair share of federal dollars, whether it is for health care or education or housing,” he said.
It's not clear how long Spitzer's visit will be to the U.S. territory, which has close ties with New York, home to a large Puerto Rican population.
Acevedo said he shared his experience with Spitzer about trying to shift the economy of Puerto Rico - a pharmaceutical hub - toward research and development.
“We shared the experience that, precisely that New York has in terms of emphasizing research and development, and how we can partner together in the near future in order to foster more economic development for both,” Acevedo said.
Puerto Rico, seized by the U.S. in 1898, is home to 3.9 million people.
Puerto Ricans can't vote in U.S. federal elections and their representative to U.S. Congress is nonvoting.
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