Politics on the Hudson

   Suddenly, the Stratton VA Hospital in Albany is a popular spot for politicians to tour.

  Today, newly elected Congresswoman Kirsten Gillebrand and First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer both visited the facility, which has about 100 in-patients and served thousands of other veterans on an out-patient basis.

    Gillebrand’s visit was sparked by the Walter Reed Hospital scandal, where substandard facilities and care have sparked outrage and  calls for reform.

   But today’s guests found nothing similar. Gillebrand, who represents a district that stretches along the Hudson Valley from Dutchess County to the Canadian border, was “pleased with the condition’’ of the hospital, spokeswoman Rachel McEneny said.

   Silda Spitzer said her visit was not in reaction to the Walter Reed scandal, and she pointed out that Walter Reed is run by the Defense Department and not by the Veterans Adiminstration.

     When asked if she got a sense of the quality of care at the Albany VA as a result of her tour, she said, ”You get a little sense. Thye have some state-of-the-art epuipment, and the people who are running them seem remarkably up to date on the techniques of using it, and are enthiastic and caring about helping the veterans.’’