‘Tis the season . . . to pick the winners and losers in state politics during a very turbulent 2009 — and what a banner year for losers it has been.
The people of New York are, again, the biggest losers — burdened as they are with “leaders” who raised taxes and fees $8 billion during one of the worst recessions ever, a dysfunctional Legislature, and an unelected governor who plumbed record-low approval ratings in the polls.
The annual list was put together with the help of public officials, government bureaucrats, lobbyists, union leaders and journalists, all of whom talked candidly in exchange for anonymity.
WINNERS
* Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the most popular political figure in the state and an all-but-announced candidate for governor in 2010. He enjoys a more than 40-point lead over Gov. Paterson.
* US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who was inexplicably plucked by Paterson from the obscurity of an upstate congressional seat to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton.
* Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan,) widely seen as the only genuinely competent member of the “three men in a room” team that governs the state.
* Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long, who reminded Republicans in the 23rd Congressional District special election that his party’s support can make or break a GOP candidate.
Other winners include appointed Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch; city Comptroller Bill Thompson, whose surprisingly strong showing against Mayor Bloomberg has positioned him to take on Gillibrand; and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.
LOSERS
* Paterson, who a year ago was one of the most popular figures in the state but who lost that good will amid the Caroline Kennedy Senate fiasco, a secretly formulated, record-high budget, $8 billion in new taxes and fees, and a general sense of incompetence.
* Bloomberg, whose surprisingly narrow election victory weakened him even further.
* The Senate Democratic “leadership:” Malcolm Smith, who was toppled as majority leader, John Sampson, the new “majority leader” in name only, Pedro Espada, and Finance Committee Chairman Carl Kruger.
* Ex-Mayor and hapless 2008 presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani, who continues to alienate his once-loyal GOP followers by failing to live up to his commitment to announce his political plans.
* White House political operative Patrick Gaspard, whose heavy-handed effort in September to get Paterson not to run for governor has apparently backfired.
Other losers include: Caroline Kennedy; Court of Appeals Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann, widely seen as having disgraced the judiciary with his Paterson- and Silver-friendly deciding vote in the Ravitch case; state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who has failed to convince the public that he’s their champion in the state budget crisis; and convicted former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
Also, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi; newly selected state Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs; former Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R-Schenectady,); and the leftist Working Families Party.