THE VINES: Out to lunch; will be back soon.

To the many peeps who have contacted or tried to contact me, enquiring as to why I haven’t written a column here for the past seven weeks: I’ll be back real soon.<.......> I had to take a lil hiatus in order to clear my head a bit. I also had to consider a couple runs for public office. I went to Trinidad for a brief visit (as a pre-requisite to possibly participating in the election campaign down there later this year) and for a little R&R. <....>

Today, I decided not to run for Congress in 2008 (it’s too late to start this/ especially as it relates to fundraising), but I am considering a run for the City Council in 2009; I will finalize that decision next year. There are talks afoot to do a wide ranging challenge of various district-leaderships (Dems.) in many boroughs during next year’s presidential excitement; so far these ideas are inchoate. There are many people who are rather disenchanted with the leadership of New’s York’s democrats and want to mix it up a bit. If those conversations mature then who knows what I’ll do next year; but I am definitely not running for Congress (11th) then, unless I hit the LOTTO soon/ lol. <....>

I am working on a story that will probably “piss-off” Vito Lopez- the Dem leader of King’s county (Brooklyn), and I am also trying to get up to date on the impending Kendall Stewart vs. Kevin Parker fight. It’s going to be bloody folks. I am also looking at Nick Perry’s Brooklyn Boro Prez candidacy (word is that he isn’t “punking out” this tme), given that Charles “Slappy” Barron is trying hard to make that race also. The “Vines” are a saying that two blacks in the race is tantamount to “political suicide”. <....> Also, there are a lot of angry troopers since Yvette Clarke won the 11th Congressional; lots of her former employees and solid supporters are rather angry at her and her mother (Una). They say that the Clarkes are “ungrateful, selfish and treacherous” (and I am putting that mildly folks). <....>

Another thing: Mitch is bitching (again). Everyone knows the irrepressible election attorney Mitch Alter; he is one of the best election lawyers in the state. Well it seems that Mitch is angry these days, because of all the shenanigans around the upcoming surrogate race this year. He is also poised to run a bunch of candidates for the many vacant judgeships in Brooklyn (more on that later folks). I will probably endorse Diana Johnson for surrogate judge; last time she ran against Margarita Lopez-Torres, I was in the Margarita’s camp; what a difference two years in politics make. <....>

As of yesterday there were two challengers for Junior Boyland next year- and no, Stan Kinnard isn’t one (as yet), nor is Reggie Bowman. What is Chris Owens going to do next year? Also, what is Gerry Hopkins going to do next year? Ditto for Terry Hinds and Michelle Adolphe. Word is that Kevin Parker treathened Nick Perry that he will run a candidate against him if the Stewart challenge comes to fruition; sounds plausibe? In East New York, Ken Evans and Carlos Bristol seem set on forging an alliance in order to deal with future races in the district. Bristol-who managed some of NYC councilmember Charles Barron’s past campaigns- is intent on replacing Barron in 2009. Evans- who did Barron’s petitons in 2001- is still looking towards replacing Diane Gordon as the assemblymember for the 40th AD (real soon/ given Gordon’s legal problems). <....>

Anyway, let me finish lunch folks; and then I will be back sometime next week or so. Till then: stay tuned-in. <....>
PS: No “out to lunch” jokes; please/lol. That would be so predictable. <....> BTW: NYC Mayor Mike Bloomgberg has one chance of becoming US president in 2008: NONE.