Dialog show notes for 10/20/08

This morning on Dialog, Bob Confer discussed the Rochester D&C not endorsing any incumbents.

Here's a link to that editorial ... with some choice excerpts below.

In good conscience, we cannot support any of the incumbents because of their failure to consistently push for radical change in Albany. They are: Sens. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette, Jim Alesi, R-Perinton, Joe Robach, R-Greece, George Maziarz, R-Newfane, Assemblypersons Joe Errigo, R-Conesus, Susan John, D-Rochester, Joe Morelle, D-Irondequoit, David Gantt, D-Rochester, Bill Reilich, R-Greece, David Koon, D-Perinton, Stephen Hawley, R-Batavia.

Among the challengers, only two, Democrats Paloma Capanna and David Nachbar, both candidates for the state Senate, persuaded us that they'd bring the kind of fresh, critical thinking needed to remake Albany. The Democrat and Chronicle enthusiastically endorses them.

Our unprecedented stand climaxed a yearlong "Challenging Albany" campaign that included gathering more than 2,000 "Fed up" coupons from readers and shipping them to legislative leaders. This effort, combined with other public outcries from around the state such as a stinging report by the Brennan Center for Justice, which quantitatively concluded that New York had the most dysfunctional legislature in the nation, got lawmakers' attention. But obviously, it was only long enough to take off the heat.