A person close to the negotiations on the Clinton side, has confirmed to Gannett News Service that the New York senator and the Obama campaign are close to announcing an agreement.

The move would allow Clinton supporters to have their voices heard at the convention and help with the political healing needed to build party unity.

However, there is no agreement yet on how or when Clinton would release her delegates to Barack Obama.

The state’s teacher’s union suspended its endorsements for all state Senators — Democrats and Republicans — who supported Gov. David Paterson’s tax cap bill.

The leadership of New York State United Teachers said in a statement they were reviewing the position of every member of the Assembly because they believe a cap “would harm children and public education.”

“Those who choose political expediency over the future of New York’s children and public schools — and favor a gimmick that offers only the illusion of tax relief over a real reduction in property taxes for over-burdened homeowners — will not earn our endorsement,” said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi in a statement. “They made a choice and we are making ours.”

The union is supporting candidates who reject the cap concept and support taxing wealthier people, such as what they’ve called a “millionaire’s tax.”

NYSUT endorsed the following local candidates:U.S. House of Representatives — Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, Eliot Engel, D-Bronx, John Hall, D- Dover Plains.New York State Senate — Andrea Stewart Cousins, D-Yonkers, Suzi Oppenheimer, D-Mamaroneck, and Ruth Hassell-Thompson, D-Mt. Vernon.New York State Assembly — James Pretlow, D-Mt. Vernon, Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, Adam Bradley, D-White Plains, Richard Brodsky, D-Greenburgh, George Latimer, D-Rye, Mike Spano, D-Yonkers, Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, and Ellen Jaffee, D-Suffern.

The detail expansion will cut costs by reducing overtime, said Paterson spokesman Morgan Hook. He said he couldn’t provide specific numbers because of security concerns.

He said the expansion isn’t related to any specific threats or the performance of the detail. Part of the group has made headlines this year by not being close to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer when he met a prostitute in Washington, D.C. and by gathering information on the travels of former Senate Majaority Leader Joseph Bruno.

Hook said the decision was made to expand the detail after State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt ordered a review of trooper deployment.

Seriously, Dusty???????

Why in the HELL are we playing Corey Patterson and/or Jolbert Cabrera over Chris Dickerson?

Are we still “trying to break .500″??? 

Another question: why in God’s name is Josh Fogg still being rolled out there every five days? 

I have some suggestions for the Reds (it could be a long list): 

1. Sh*tcan Fogg
2. Sh*tcan Patterson once and for all 
3. Shut Harang down 
4. Shut Cueto down
5. Shut Volquez down 
6. Shut em all down
7. Think about 2009 
8. Bring Homer back up.  Let him get his head bashed in.  At least he can learn up here.
9. Bring Maloney up
10. Bring Livingston up
11. Bring Roenicke up
12. Hell, bring Stubbs up.  The guy’s hitting a whopping .500 in AAA!!!  (yes, I know it’s been just one game)
13. Try Votto in left 
14. Try EE at first
15. Try Bako on the bench
16. Play Hanigan everyday
17. Everyday OF: Bruce in RF, Dickerson in CF, Votto in LF? 
18. Everyday IF: EE at 1B, BP at 2B, Kepp at SS, and Jolbert Cabrera at 3B (I guess…unless they can re-sign Juan Castro…..again)
19. What is the sense in putting the same crap out there?  If they’re still trying to reach .500, or if they still think they can reach .500, we may have the dumbest organization in baseball.
20. No matter what, the younger guys should play every single day. 

OK I’m done for now.  But, still pissed. 

Massachusetts, of course, is a solidly Democratic state that’s not part of the GOP strategy to keep control of the White House.

And Romney has been talked about as a potential running mate who might help McCain’s support among party conservatives.

Even so, a veep is generally expected to boost support for a presidential candidate in a state where the running mate has held elected office.

The new Suffolk University poll found only 33 percent of Massachusetts voters would be more likely to support McCain with Romney on the ticket. Forty one percent said they would be less likely to vote for the Arizona senator with their former governor as his running mate. Twenty four percent said it would make no difference.

.

The survey of 400 registered voters conducted July 31 through Aug. 3 had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent.

“We decided to do no endorsement in races where a vote was taken to support the property-tax cap because that would be devastating to education and we don’t want to be part of that,’’ said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi.

The lack of endorsement from the union won’t mean much in most races, but it could be a factor in several seats where GOP incumbents face a stiff challenge this November.

The chair of a special committee created to review the spending of a Westchester County legislative aide, accused the Republican members of that committee of “politicizing” the issue.

County Legislator Ken Jenkins, D –Yonkers, chair of the Special Committee on Internal Controls and Procedure, said in a statement that the two Republican members — George Oros, R-Cortlandt, and Gordon Burrows, R-Yonkers — are playing politics in their critique of the recently released report.

The recommendations came out Monday and it was approved unanimously, with support from the two Republicans, who were unsuccessful in their efforts to have Gary Kriss and Board of Legislators Chairman William Ryan testify.

“As attorneys, Mr. Oros and Mr. Burrows understand that there is an active investigation by the District Attorney. Mr. Burrows opined if he were the lawyer representing Mr. Kriss, he would advise his client not to speak in front of the Committee,” Jenkins said in a statement. “To suggest at this time that their request for additional testimony was ignored is disingenuous. Their motion was put to the members of the committee and defeated.”

Jenkins said it wasn’t until after the committee approved its report that Republican publicly blasted it. The county board on Monday referred the report to the Rules and Legislation Committees for further action. The committee will reconvene in six months to monitor the recommendations, he said.

Jenkins said he was “positive that Mr. Oros and Mr. Burrows will be able to put partisan politics aside and make an honest effort to work cooperatively on behalf of Westchester’s taxpayers.”Read the original story
.

Photo: From left, Westchester County legislators George Oros and Gordon Borrows, listen to Ken Jenkins, Chairman of the Committee on Open Government Operations, speak during a special meeting about Gary Kriss, at the county office building in White Plains Aug. 6, 2008. ( Frank Becerra Jr / The Journal News )

If you want to attend one live, there’s a debate scheduled tonight in Somers. It’s co-hosted by the Somers Republican Town Committee and the Somers Republican Club and begins at 8 at the Somers Library in Reis Park off Route 139.

UPDATE/addition – Ball plans to be there. Degnan said he wasn’t planning on going.

“We are stunned and shaken by today’s shooting at the Arkansas Democratic Party where our good friend and fellow Democrat Bill Gwatney was critically wounded. Bill is not only a strong chairman of Arkansas’ Democratic Party, but he is also a cherished friend and confidante. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill and his family today and we wish him a quick recovery.”

Updated: Gwatney has died. The Clintons have issued a second statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the news that Bill Gwatney has passed away. His leadership and commitment to Arkansas and this country have always inspired us and those who had the opportunity to know him. Our prayers are with his family during this time.” 

For background on what happened, I’m putting the full AP story after the jump…