WPCNR AT WEST CAPITOL PARK At The State Capitol. By John F. Bailey. January 1, 2007:  Governor Eliot Spitzer, addressing thousands filling the West Capitol Park at the first ever public inaugural in New York State, said his two “overarching objectives” would be “transforming government so that it is ethical and wise as all of New York,” and to rebuild the state economy “so it is ready to compete on the global stage in the next century.”

Governor Eliot Spitzer Delivering his Inaugural Address on the steps of the State Capitol New Year's Day.  Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General is fourth from the left. Mrs. Spitzer and the Governor's three daughters are at the right. Photos, WCPNR News

The Governor set priorities in opportunity, education, and health care reform with a hint at property tax reform with no specifics. He said “our purpose is not merely reform merely for the sake of reform, but to restore fairness and create opportunity and redefine the very fabric of our community.” He gave notice to politicians sitting before him that their partisan politics of the past will not do.

Governor Eliot Spitzer assumed command of New York State from Governor George Pataki. Thousands fanned out across West Capitol Park in front of New York’s Capitol Monday, despite heavy rains in morning and threatening raw skies. They saw a ceremony worthy of the Kings of England.

The extravaganza included fanfares, musical codas and dramatic transitions  at the introduction of Governor Spitzer and his family;  prior to his taking the oath of office and after his oath of office, with rounds of artillery and rifle fire rumbling in the distance, evoking  the feel of the 1812 Overture as the orchestra played majestic theme.

Mr. Spitzer (seen on one of two giant videoscreens) set Opportunity, Education, Health Care Priorities and challenged politics of past.

“Some may feel anxiety over changes that seek to make businesses more competitive, but all will benefit from an Innovation Economy that attracts young people and new businesses in every part of New York," he said.

“Some may express skepticism over a school system that demands more accountability from students, teachers and parents, but all will benefit from an education that rewards excellence and gives every child the best possible chance in life.

“Some may feel threatened by health care reforms, but all will benefit from a system that finally puts patients first at a cost that all families can afford.”

"Some public officials may not want to face stricter ethics rules and more competitive elections, but all citizens will win when we finally get a government that puts the people’s interests, openness and integrity first.”

The Governor, speaking coatless in 48 degree raw, damp conditions, delivered a  20-minute address promising to “change the ethics of Albany and end the politics of cynicism and division in our state…”. He said, “What we now need more than ever is a politics that binds us together, a politics that looks to the future, a politics that asks not what is in it for me, but always what is in it for us (the people).”

Pataki Years The Rip Van Winkle Years

With former Governor George Pataki sitting 20 feet away Governor Spitzer likened the state of the last ten years to Rip Van Winkle,  having “slept through much of the last decade while the rest of the world passed us by,” Spitizer said.

The Governor pointed out this “standing still” was evident in the “burdensome property taxes, health care we can’t afford; in the jobs that have disappeared (from upstate cities), and schools that keep failing our children; in a government that works for those who hold office – not those who put them there… Today is the day when all of that changes – when we stop standing still and start moving forward. ”

Exhorts politicians to work as  One New York

The Governor called for “One New York…through a politics that operates on the principle that we rise or fall as one people and one state. We will succeed not because we point fingers or refuse to budge, but because we compromise enough to find principled consensus, and because we listen enough to find wise solutions.”

A Commentary on Politics As We Knew Them: The Governor  was hard on officeholders’ previous efforts, speaking to the citizens of New York directly about the performance of the New York legislature seated before him: “While I wish I could tell you that change will be easy – I don’t believe you elected me to do what’s easy.”

“Easy is spending your tax dollars without consequence or sacrifice. Easy is saying yes to supporters and no to opponents. Easy is looking the other way while costs rise, debts mount and families lose ground. Easy is what we’ve had, but easy is not where we need to go.”

He quoted Teddy Roosevelt: “It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage that we can move to better things.”

He evoked the memory of DeWitt Clinton (for his building the Erie Canal) as an example of New York State enterprise of the past. He bade the state look back to the reformers of Theodore Roosevelt’s term as governor and their zeal for reform and follow Franklin Roosevelt’s call to be “bold, and to recognize that people demand action now.”

Lawmakers Must Take A New Responsibility.

Spitzer said legislators “who work in the great building behind me must hear and heed the serious responsibility that public service demands and rise to this moment and show the public in words and in deeds that we understand that our responsibility that public service demands and rise to this moment and show the public in words and deeds that we understand that our responsibility is to the people of New York.”

Crowd fills the West Capitol Park. Alfred E. Smith Building is to the left.

He challenged the lawmakers to change their ways: “The reform we seek is substantial in size and historic in scope (no specifics mentioned). It will require a new brand of politics – a break from the days when progress was measured by partisan points scored or the opponents defeated. No longer can we afford merely to tinker at the margins of the status quo or play the politics of pitting one group against another. We must replace delay and diversion with energy and purpose in the halls of the capital.”

Spitzer closed with warm thoughts about New York diversity, observing he is the grandson of  an immigrant. “Today’s immigrants enrich our state with their vitality and vision, in the same way as the immigrants of the last century.”

Spitzer finished strong with a little Churchill, a little Kennedy, and a reference to another Governor of New York who became President – “No matter how great the challenge – no matter how impossible the odds – our destiny will never be a path to follow, but always a trail to blaze.”

He gave the citizens and the legislators before him a mission:

“As New York’s former Governor Theodore Roosevelt once remarked, there can be no progress without first entering the arena. My fellow New Yorkers: join me in that arena…Lend your sweat, your toil and your passion to the effort of building One New York of which we can all be proud. My fellow New Yorkers. Our moment is here.”

“Day One is Now.”

“Together Let’s build that One New York. Let’s walk toward that better day.”

The citizens and dignitaries rose applauding in hope.

After the ceremony, Celebrate New York, a series of events to entertain the public, and to celebrate the arts of the state took place at The Egg Theatre, and throughout the Concourse beneath the Executive Plaza.  The multitudes enjoyed the wares of fabulous New York State food creators. This reporter dined on the famous biker-created “Dinosaur Bar-B-Q” (based in Syracuse) and enjoyed Saranac Root Beer.

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Citizens of New York  were welcomed into the 1867 State House, the magnificent edifice housing the State Assembly and Senate, and were given tours of the chambers.Citizens are seen entering the Assembly Chambers on tour Monday after the Inauguration.

Citizens toured the Senate Chamber (seen from the spectator balcony).

 Andrew Cuomo, sworn in as Attorney General lingered for forty-five minutes with citizens in the state house lobby outside the Attorney General Office. Mr. Spitzer did not meet with the press after the Inauguration Ceremonies. After Attorney General Cuomo departed the lobby of the Capitol, New Yorkers amused themselves by having their pictures taken behind the Attorney General News Conference podium shown above.

Citizens were awed by the sepulchre-like beauty of the magnificent central stone staircases in the State Capitol.

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Mr. Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, former New York Governor was seated with the rest of the new Attorney General’s family in the front row on the Inauguration Dais. Andrew Cuomo received the oath of office from Chief Justice Judith Kaye of the New York State Court of Appeals, and he waved to the crowd enthusiastically as their cheers washed over him.

Ms. Kaye administered the oath of office to Lieutenant Governor David Patterson, and finally the stage was set for Mr. Spitizer’s historic moment.

The affair began with a procession of dignitaries emerging from the State Capitol announced by Alfred E. Smith the IV.

Mr. Smith called the Inauguration to order and introduced a procession of dignitaries who emerged from the steps of the Capitol: The Native Tribes of New York State, The Board of Regents, the members of the New York State Assembly and Senate,  representatives of the Mayors of New York State, the New York State Congressional Delegation, Senator Charles Schumer (Senator Hillary Clinton did not attend the Inauguration), and  former Governor George Pataki and First Lady Libby Pataki, Lieutenant Governor David Patterson and his wife, Andrew Cuomo and his three children and his father, former Governor Mario Cuomo and his wife, Matilda Cuomo, followed by a three minute pause before Governor Spitzer was introduced with his wife Silda Wall Spitzer and their three daughters.

Mr. Smith, the great grandson of New York Governor Alfred E. Smith, remembered that Alfred E. Smith was described as using his voice as a trumpet that he would use in defense of the less fortunate, saying “Today we’ll hear that trumpet again.”

They did.