On Friday night’s program, the Reverend Al Sharpton talked about the isolation that Michael Jackson grappled with before his death.

Tonight’s guests include possible GOP candidate for governor Rick Lazio and the Monday Consultants Corner.

The New York Times

Jeremy Peters reports: “When Gov. David A. Paterson accepted an invitation to be a grand marshal in New York City’s gay pride parade this year, he had high expectations that he would march down Fifth Avenue as the first governor in state history to have signed a law allowing gay couples to marry. But the hopes of Mr. Paterson and gay rights advocates who have been pushing for same-sex marriage have collided with a political maelstrom in Albany. Like every other major public-policy issue before the State Legislature — from local sales taxes to control of New York City’s school system — same-sex marriage is on hold until Republicans and Democrats in the State Senate reach a compromise over who will control the chamber. So on Sunday afternoon, as the governor clutched a rainbow flag in his left hand and waved to the legions of gay men and lesbians who turned out for the parade, his presence was more of an anticlimax than a climax.”

In an interesting article, Sam Roberts writes: “Albany gridlock got you down? Well, worry no longer, the end is in sight — the State Senate should be back in business by 2013.”

Charlie Bagli notes: “In the inaugural season for the new ballparks for the New York Yankees and Mets, the teams have been embarrassed by television shots showing vast areas of premium seats going unsold. But those who study sporting facilities say empty seats may become even more commonplace here, as New York faces a glut of sports arenas. Five major complexes — four existing and one planned — will soon be slugging it out within an area 30 miles wide. At least two of the existing arenas already lose money, and experts say further casualties are almost guaranteed.”

New York Post

In his weekly column, Fred Dicker writes: “Gov. Paterson’s top political adviser has met secretly with longtime Republican dirty trickster Roger Stone, who took credit for helping sink the governor's predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, The Post has learned. The Manhattan meeting at L'Express bistro on Park Avenue South earlier this month between Stone and Charles O'Byrne, Paterson's former chief-of-staff, focused in part on Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's possible Democratic-primary challenge against the governor next year, sources said.”

Sally Goldenberg reports: “Manhattan's biggest block party is making a comeback. New Yorkers will take to the streets for three consecutive Saturdays in August as Mayor Bloomberg closes a 6.9-mile stretch of Manhattan for the return of ‘Summer Streets,’ The Post has learned. The mayor is expected to announce today that he will clear a path of all car and truck traffic, starting at the Brooklyn Bridge and ending at Central Park and East 72nd Street. The route will include Lafayette and Centre streets, Fourth and Park avenues and East 72nd Street -- the same as last year.”

Joe Mollica writes: “Travel Web sites are using a ‘bait and switch’ tactic to lure air travelers onto small, regional airlines that are ‘less safe and less reliable’ than their brand-name counterparts, Sen. Chuck Schumer said yesterday. The New York Democrat is proposing a law that would require airlines and travel sites to disclose the name of the carrier customers will be flying.”

Brendan Scott reports: “Gov. Paterson made an unusual personal visit to a closed-door gathering of Senate Democrats last night in a dramatic effort to break the stalemate that has paralyzed Albany for the last three weeks. In his 1½-hour powwow with lawmakers, the Democratic governor said he stressed the need to end their leadership feud with Republicans before midnight Wednesday morning, when numerous local laws -- including the 2002 statute that gives the mayor control over the school system -- expire.”

Goldenberg & Campanile write: “Mayor Bloomberg joined forces yesterday with Gov. Paterson and teachers-union head Randi Weingarten, who both urged the deadlocked state Senate to put aside partisan differences and pass a bill to extend City Hall's control of education -- instead of plunging the school system into chaos by letting the current law lapse at midnight Wednesday morning.”

And both Weingarten and former Schools Chancellor Harold Levy have op-ed columns calling for renewed mayoral control of city schools.

David Seifman reports: “Coney Island Hospital couldn't account for $3.75 million worth of drugs during an audit in 2007, according to city Comptroller Bill Thompson, who questioned if the medications were lost in sloppy record-keeping, stolen or ‘flushed down the toilet.’ “

New York Daily News

In her weekly column, Liz Benjamin writes: “The state Senate fiasco might just be the best thing that's happened to Gov. Paterson since Eliot Spitzer's prostitution scandal. After watching from the sidelines for two weeks as senators failed to reach a deal to end the post-coup gridlock, Paterson woke up to a political epiphany: The state Legislature - specifically, the Senate - is even less popular than he is.”

Tina Moore notes: “A state Board of Elections conference may sound dull - but not in New York. Up to 180 elections commissioners and staffers wined, dined and danced under the stars last week at an annual conference in the scenic Finger Lakes.
Commissioners and employees spent four workdays at a conference at the Ramada Geneva Lake Front, which included plenty of eating, boozing, golf and touring.
All this while Gov. Paterson is urging state agencies to limit ‘nonessential’ travel to help close the budget gap.”

Einhorn & Katz report: “Public advocate candidate Eric Gioia was the lone city councilman to vote against the budget this year. Gioia said he feared some of the lawmakers' discretionary spending - known as "pork" - might later be found to have gone to sketchy causes. Despite his concerns, Gioia, a Queens Democrat, had no problem plying local groups with his own share of pork for the budget year that starts Wednesday.
What's more, he raked in thousands of dollars in donations from employees and board members of these groups.A Daily News analysis of campaign finance records found that 30 of the 37 groups that Gioia selected for city funding - 81% - have employees or board members who have supported Gioia's campaigns for City Council or public advocate…Gioia spokeswoman Zoe Epstein called it ‘completely absurd to think that a $5 or $10 donation from a neighborhood activist is the reason a local tenants association received city funding.’"

Newsday

Dan Janison notes: “The State Senate struggle over seats, patronage, clout, offices, titles and pork funds can be expected to keep raging - even if members manage to meet Tuesday's deadline for approving local legislation. Combat over the chamber's control began in earnest in 2007 under now-disgraced Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer and never really abated. Democrats last year toppled the GOP majority at the polls, but Republicans pulled off a parliamentary coup to break their rivals' grip. All seats come open again next year.”

Until tomorrow.

Bob Hardt