Politics on the Hudson

   Gov. Eliot Spitzer found some fellow NASCAR racing fans while on his “Bringing the Budget Home” tour around the state today. The governor spent a few minutes talking about racing while at the home of Jackie and Tom Casey in Colonie, a suburb of Albany. He has been “selling” his budget in meetings with families (which are open to the media). Spitzer’s brother-in-law works for Hendrick Motorsports, a group of NASCAR racing teams in North Carolina. The governor told the Caseys to let him know the next time they would be down there and he would arrange a tour.

   Spitzer brought a plant with him and a copy of “The Little Red Caboose,” a classic by Marian Potter, for the Casey’s 4-week-old daughter. He signed it and wrote, “Marin—This was one of my favorite books! Enjoy it.”

   “This is a little advanced, but, you know what, in six months she’ll be reading it,” Spitzer told the Caseys.