Tuesday, May 18th 2010, 4:00 AM
State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. made it to Albany Monday after a brief hospital stay for an inflamed pancreas.
Could it be from all the bile he's been spewing about making war on the electeds who remain outside the party fold - and about facing his own challenge from Carlos (Charlie) Ramos?
The Rev told us Monday: "It's going to be war, and a very hot summer in the Bronx."
Political insiders are starting to call Ramos a mini-me, saying that he and his Bronx for Change group look like a creation of Assemblyman Peter (The Silent) Rivera and/or ex-party boss Jose Rivera to elect state committee members and district leaders to topple party boss Carl Heastie and his executive committee at the party convention in September, with Peter then being crowned king.
This, as peace (surrender?) talks between the outsiders and Carl have reportedly begun.
Quotes
From Heastie's Facebook (1,703 friends) page: "To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." - George Washington.
So, Carl, are you trying to tell us - or some others - something?
Is he is or is he ain't?
So the latest rumor floating around Morrisania Assemblyman Michael Benjamin is that he's challenging former boss Rep. Jose Serrano, and wifey Kennedy Benjamin is running for Michael's Assembly seat.
We shall see once petitioning begins June 8. . . .
District Leader Eric Stevenson is out front and waiting for open party support to move to take the seat.
Wabbit hunting
Add Community Board 7 District Manager Fernando Tirado to the growing list of challengers looking to unseat State Sen. Pedro Espada.
Tirado joins Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter out of the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition; attorney Dan Padernacht; Jose Gustavo Rivera, a political aide who has worked for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and maybe one or two minor wanna-bes.
Espada's been busy showing up at senior centers (they vote big-time) for pre-Mother's Day schmoozing, and tossing out pitches at local kid baseball leagues (their parents vote), as well as distributing that member item money he wrested from the Senate Dems after leaning on a political lamppost in Albany, waiting for the highest party bidder.
Could the Wascally Wabbit be running scared? We're not privy to any polls in his west Bronx district, but a good politician never assumes he has a safe seat. And with state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn both looking to nail a Wabbit pelt on their door - maybe before the primary - it could work against Pedro.
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