Politics on the Hudson

There was no shortage of officials and politicians willing to give their views on Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s inaugural speech today. The Democrat, who won the November election with 69 percent of the vote, talked about putting waking up the state government from a slumber and replacing “delay and diversion with energy and purpose.�

Here are some comments:

—State Board of Regents Chancellor Robert Bennett, whose board oversees education policy in the state, said the speech was encouraging for education. Spitzer talked about demanding more accountability from students, teachers and parents. “He’s already said how committed he is to us and already demonstrated outreach to various members of our board and I look forward very much to working with him,� said Bennett, of suburban Buffalo.

—Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, said he disagreed with Spitzer’s statement that New York has “slept through� much of the last 10 years. Former Gov. George Pataki left office this week after 12 years. The past decade has been one of the most productive, Bruno said.

—Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, said he looked forward to having a governor that he could talk to and partner with, which wasn’t the case with Pataki, a Republican. The last 12 years entailed making sure “bad things proposed for good people� didn’t happen, and now the Assembly Democrats can focus on making sure good things happen to good people, Silver said.

—U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat, said there is an abundance of talent in New York, but in recent years “Other states have gained on us just as other countries have gained on America.�

—Assemblyman Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, Montgomery County, said he liked the aggressive tone and “engaging, populist spirit� of Spitzer’s speech, which “set the tone for progressivity, productivity� and a belief that people working together can build a better government.

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