Rangel on Meet the Press in March.Photo: Getty Images
Once upon a time, Charlie Rangel was the kind of entrenched political boss reformer Eliot Spitzer was trying to remove from the conversation. And once upon a time, Spitzer was the kind of steamrolling, prosecutorial, holier-than-thou Ivy Leaguer Rangel snidely termed “the smartest man in the world.” Spitzer ditched Rangel’s lieutenant-governor suggestion at last minute; Rangel dubbed Spitzer’s plan to reduce health-care costs “disastrous.” Now the two are about to step into a joint press conference to present a plan to protect health care for children. Strange bedfellows, indeed. What gives? According to a source close to Spitzer, making nice with Rangel is part of the embattled governor’s plan to reach out to old foes and shore up his political backing. “The governor is now looking to places where he never used to for support,” the source says. And Rangel sees Spitzer’s problems as presenting an opportunity to get a deal he likes, a source close to Rangel says. “The governor is certainly in need of some friends right now,” the source says. In exchange for political cover, Rangel is looking to pick up “chits,” the Rangel source says. “There are a lot of projects in New York that Charlie cares about, and I’m sure the governor is taking that into account.” —Geoffrey Gray
