WASHINGTON - Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer met with New York's congressional delegation Wednesday, but noticeably absent were Republicans - any Republicans.
None of the six returning GOP members of Congress from New York nor any of their staff attended. Some Republican aides complained of receiving very late notice of the meeting set up by Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel, and others said they didn't expect anything important to be discussed.
Spitzer, a Democrat, said he had “no idea” why there were no Republicans at the gathering.
“I'm going to call a couple of them just to stress that I look forward to working with them in a bipartisan way,” said Spitzer, adding that he called western New York Rep. Thomas Reynolds days earlier to emphasize he wanted to work together.
“I have great respect for him and look forward to working with him,” Spitzer said.
The Wednesday meeting was a sort of celebration breakfast for Democrats, who recaptured control of Congress and overwhelmingly elected Spitzer to succeed Republican Gov. George Pataki after three terms.
The bagels-and-lox gathering came as the lame-duck Republican Congress winds down its final week, and New York hospitals warn of an impending $1 billion cut from Washington to New York health care.
“I was struck by the absence (of Republicans), but Charlie said they were just busy with other meetings,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-Manhattan.
Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat representing suburbs north of New York City, said Spitzer's decision to visit them even before he assumes office next month “sends a very important message to us that he wants to work closely with us.”
On the other side of New York's political aisle, a much different message was received.
“I don't believe there was any type of real intent to ensure that all members could be there, or that there was going to be any detailed discussions,” said Rep. James Walsh's spokesman Dan Gage.
“There will be a day when the governor will need the vote of Congressman Walsh or Tom Reynolds or John McHugh or Randy Kuhl,” added Gage, naming other New York Republicans who are adjusting to life in the minority party in Congress.
Walsh, R-Onondaga, could not attend because he had a prescheduled meeting for his 2008 re-election campaign, Gage said. Walsh narrowly won re-election last month in a race against a former aide to Rangel.
Kuhl's spokesman Robert Van Wicklin said his boss “would certainly have liked to meet with him, and still would, eventually,” but he said Kuhl's staff had “very late notice on this meeting.”
It was an odd introduction to Washington for Spitzer, who, as a candidate, stressed how he wanted to “organize” the often scattershot congressional delegation from New York, consisting of 29 representatives and two senators.
Even after missing a half-dozen of them at the first meeting, Spitzer said Wednesday he wanted to get them working together to bring back more federal dollars for New York.
“I think we can do better than we have in the past few years. I'm going to be there often enough that my coming down will not be a novelty,” he said.
AP-ES-12-06-06 1501EST
Spitzer, a Democrat, said he had “no idea” why there were no Republicans at the gathering.
“I'm going to call a couple of them just to stress that I look forward to working with them in a bipartisan way,” said Spitzer, adding that he called western New York Rep. Thomas Reynolds days earlier to emphasize he wanted to work together.
“I have great respect for him and look forward to working with him,” Spitzer said.
The Wednesday meeting was a sort of celebration breakfast for Democrats, who recaptured control of Congress and overwhelmingly elected Spitzer to succeed Republican Gov. George Pataki after three terms.
The bagels-and-lox gathering came as the lame-duck Republican Congress winds down its final week, and New York hospitals warn of an impending $1 billion cut from Washington to New York health care.
“I was struck by the absence (of Republicans), but Charlie said they were just busy with other meetings,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-Manhattan.
Rep. Eliot Engel, a Democrat representing suburbs north of New York City, said Spitzer's decision to visit them even before he assumes office next month “sends a very important message to us that he wants to work closely with us.”
On the other side of New York's political aisle, a much different message was received.
“I don't believe there was any type of real intent to ensure that all members could be there, or that there was going to be any detailed discussions,” said Rep. James Walsh's spokesman Dan Gage.
“There will be a day when the governor will need the vote of Congressman Walsh or Tom Reynolds or John McHugh or Randy Kuhl,” added Gage, naming other New York Republicans who are adjusting to life in the minority party in Congress.
Walsh, R-Onondaga, could not attend because he had a prescheduled meeting for his 2008 re-election campaign, Gage said. Walsh narrowly won re-election last month in a race against a former aide to Rangel.
Kuhl's spokesman Robert Van Wicklin said his boss “would certainly have liked to meet with him, and still would, eventually,” but he said Kuhl's staff had “very late notice on this meeting.”
It was an odd introduction to Washington for Spitzer, who, as a candidate, stressed how he wanted to “organize” the often scattershot congressional delegation from New York, consisting of 29 representatives and two senators.
Even after missing a half-dozen of them at the first meeting, Spitzer said Wednesday he wanted to get them working together to bring back more federal dollars for New York.
“I think we can do better than we have in the past few years. I'm going to be there often enough that my coming down will not be a novelty,” he said.
AP-ES-12-06-06 1501EST
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