Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama gave an address this morning at Cooper Union today and talked about providing relief to homeowners hit by the housing crisis and an additional $30 billion stimulus package to help the economy.

He was introduced, interestingly, by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Daily Politics says Bloomberg said nice things about Obama, but didn’t endorse him.

Here’s some of Obama’s speech:

“Under Republican and Democratic Administrations, we failed to guard against practices that all too often rewarded financial manipulation instead of productivity and sound business practices,” Senator Obama said. “We let the special interests put their thumbs on the economic scales. The result has been a distorted market that creates bubbles instead of steady, sustainable growth; a market that favors Wall Street over Main Street, but ends up hurting both.”

Updated x2: Response from state GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello

“It is a sad irony that Senator Obama would come to New York to talk about his economic plan, because New Yorkers have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of the kind of runaway spending and endless tax increases that Senator Obama has supported throughout his career.

New Yorkers have seen jobs, families and opportunity pack up and leave New York for more hospitable areas when Democrats have implemented the kind of big government policies that are the very core of Senator Obama’s campaign rhetoric.

American families and businesses do not need more spending and obtrusive government; we need more opportunity and hope for a better future.

Senator John McCain’s approach of limiting government interference, containing government spending and allowing hard working families and businesses to keep more of their own money is the right way to ensure a vibrant, hopeful economy and opportunity for New Yorkers and all Americans.”

Albany County District Attorney David Soares’ investigation into the Troopergate matter continues to receive heavy criticism.

In September, he released a report that found Gov. Eliot Spitzer was not involved in a plot by Spitzer’s aides to release travel records that showed Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno was using state aircraft for political purposes.

Yet Soares didn’t put anyone under oath,  and now reports say that Spitzer was closely involved in the plot. At the time of his first report, Soares said he couldn’t put anyone under oath because he didn’t have probable cause.

But his former Democratic opponent in 2004, Paul Clyne, a former Albany County district attorney, today criticized Soares’ handling of the case. Clyne may run against Soares this year.

“He was lying to public what he could and couldn’t do,” Clyne said this morning on Fred Dicker’s radio show on 1300-AM in Albany.

Soares reopened the probe in October after the Commission on Public Integrity questioned whether Spitzer’s former communications director Darren Dopp perjured himself. Yet he found Dopp did nothing wrong and gave him immunity for his testimony.

Now Soares expects to release a second report this month, but is seeking permission from new Gov. David Paterson to release documents and emails he compiled on what Spitzer knew. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo hasn’t ruled on whether the documents can become public.

Yet Soares’ handling of the case raises many questions, including why a district attorney would even release a report in a case where he found no criminal wrongdoing. Sometimes, a DA can ask a grand jury to release a report on its findings, but it appears the report by Soares will come from him, not the grand jury.

Clyne said a DA would “use the grand jury to do that and don’t come to your own conclusions.”

Soares has refused to  comment on the investigation.

Ari Fleischer,  who served as White House spokesman during President Bush’s first term, will serve as the keynote speaker at the Westchester GOP’s annual fundraising dinner next month.

Fleischer, who was raised in Westchester and moved back to the county after his time in the White House, will be making his second appearance at a county GOP event. In 2001, Fleischer was honored at the county GOP dinner.
This year’s dinner, which is scheduled for April 23rd at the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains, will also honor  Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone and White Plains Mayor Joe Delfino.

Former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska has left the Democratic Party after being excluded from recent Democratic presidential debates as the field of viable candidates narrowed to Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

Gravel has announced on his presidential campaign Web site he is switching his political affiliation to Libertarian and plans to seek that party’s presidential nomination.

For the Libertarian Party, the addition of a former U.S. senator is a welcome development.

“Senator Gravel has a sincere dedication to empowering the American people and eliminating the corrupting influence of the two major parties,’’ Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory stated in a press release. He noted that former Republican congressman Bob Barr of Georgia also made the switch to a “truly a big tent organization moving firmly in the direction of liberty.”

Gravel stated, “My libertarian views, as well as my strong stance against war, the military industrial complex and American imperialism, seem not to be tolerated by Democratic Party elites who are out of touch with the average American.’’

Here’s a link to Gravel’s Web site: http://www.gravel2008.us

The Westchester Guardian’s federal court win over Yonkers City Hall earlier this month  will cost Yonkers taxpayers nearly $50,000 – a payment that has nothing to do with the tens of millions of dollars publisher Sam Zherka is seeking from the city in series of other lawsuits. U.S. District Judge Charles Brieant ordered the city to pay $42,111.20 in bills run up by the Guardian’s law firm, Lovett and Gould and pay another $6,631.20 for the cost of various documents. The order, signed March 20, follows up on Brieant’s March 3 ruling that Yonkers violated the Frist Amendment rights of the free weekly newspaper when its swept the Guardian’s news racks from city streets and stopped its employees from distributing it.

After his first week in office was overtaken by issues involving his personal life, Gov. David Paterson today finally said he’s done talking about it.

Paterson, since taking office March 17, admitted to having extramarital affairs, paid back his campaign for unexplained hotel stays, revealed he used marijuana and cocaine a few times in his 20s and disclosed that he recently traveled with his former lover to help Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Yet he’s done talking about those things, he said during a news conference this morning at Schenectady City Hall. He focused mainly on the state budget crisis and how the national economic woes further threaten the state’s economy.

Here’s what he said about the personal disclosures over the last week:

“I think that more than any elected official on this planet, and probably in outerspace, I have discussed my personal situation over the last week.

“And the reason I did it is I felt that since I was not vetted as a governor, I didn’t get here by desire, I ran for lieutenant governor, and a number of things I said then were not publicized.

“I gave what I thought was the media and the citizens of New York an idea of what I wanted to do as governor. I also gave them an idea of some issues that I thought I needed to present to the public.

“But I think I’ve answered all those questions.”

Salaries and staffing level have been a thorny issue for the Westchester Board of Legislators of late.

Yet, Legislator Thomas Abinanti last night declared that the board needed the “political guts” to hire more staff. His comments came during an extended — nearly two hours — debate on $28 million sewer bond issue for New Rochelle.

Abinanti, a Greenburgh Democrat, argued that the board needed additional staff members to review such complicated matters as whether Westchester should have a countywide sewer district and to better challenge some of the positions of County Executive Andrew Spano.

Despite much haggling and the vehement opposition of Legislator James Maisano, R-New Rochelle, the sewer bond issue was approved by a 12-5 vote. The key vote was provided by Legislator Bernice Spreckman, R-Yonkers, who abandoned her GOP colleagues and sided with the board’s Democratic leadership in supporting the measure.

Via Brian Tumulty:The last two days Hillary Rodham Clinton and her campaign has had to address two reports – one by the Washington Post reporter and another by a CBS-TV – by reporters who accompanied her on her March 2006 trip to Bosnia as first lady that disputed her recent account of arriving at the airport under a threat of sniper fire.Clinton told an audience last week the airport arrival ceremony was canceled because of the imminent danger, but CBS has released video showing her recollection was wrong.”I’ve talked about this many times that we were, you know, very much told by the Secret Service and the military that we were going into a war zone,’’ Clinton explained at a press conference earlier today. “And that we had to be conscious of that. I was the first, first lady taken into a war zone since Eleanor Roosevelt. And you know, I think that the military and Secret Service did a terrific job. But we certainly did take precautions. There is no doubt about that. And I did remember that very clearly. But I did make a mistake talking about it the last time and recently.’‘Here’s a video of the visit as reported by CBS in 1996:

U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel’s office announced today that the Internal Revenue Service would open sites and be available by phone to assist residents who are eligible for the upcoming economic stimulus payment, but who don’t regularly file an income tax return.

On Saturday, the IRS will assist residents with the 1040A form that residents are filing solely to receive a stimulus payments. Most IRS offices across the country will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., though some will have longer hours.

Residents can call the IRS hotline at 800-906-9887 for free assistance locations.Taxpayers with economic stimulus questions on March 29, they can call 1-866-234-2942 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time.

Residents who do not regularly file an income tax return can click here for more information.

Hillary Clinton is tapping the services of rock star Elton John  to help her raise campaign money.

According to a fundraising e-mail sent to supporters today, the artist responsible for such rock classics as “Rocket Man” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” will perform a solo concert for Clinton on April 9 in New York City. The e-mail does not give a venue for the show.

“We’re sending two supporters, along with their guests, to New York with VIP tickets for this very special, one-night-only concert,” Clinton writes in the e-mail.

Contributors will also get some quality time with the candidate.

“We will have a chance to talk just you and I—and you will get to meet Elton John at the party we’re throwing afterwards,” Clinton adds. “It’s going to be a great night”