Dave Calone, who is a candidate for Suffolk County Executive....

Dave Calone, who is a candidate for Suffolk County Executive. Huntington September 9, 2023 Credit: Rick Kopstein

Daily Point

First Calone ad proclaims him ‘different’

David Calone, the Democratic nominee for Suffolk County executive, is releasing his first video campaign ad. According to his campaign, the 30-second ad, with the title “Different,” will be promoted with a six-figure media buy for television as well as streaming and other online platforms.

The Calone campaign does not mention his opponent in the race, Republican Brookhaven Town supervisor Ed Romaine, or the incumbent he wants to succeed, Democrat Steve Bellone. Rather, it seeks to show Calone as pro-business and siding with law enforcement.

“Suffolk County has never had a county executive who was a prosecutor or a business leader,” the voice-over opens. “No wonder there’s too much crime and not enough good-paying jobs. Dave Calone is a different kind of leader. He helped prosecute an al-Qaida terrorist and put criminals behind bars.”

Then Calone himself has a short speaking role, telling the viewer: “I even called out my own party when they haven’t kept us safe.” That’s a clear reference to the statewide bail-reform issue which formed a theme in the last two general elections.

“Dave helped create dozens of small businesses and hundreds of jobs,” the commercial’s narrator continues. “As county executive, Dave Calone will crack down on government corruption, so all our families can afford to live here.”

As goes the style, the ad is interspersed with quick still images. One features a newspaper-style headline that says “Crime is up in Suffolk County” and the next proclaiming “Not enough good-paying jobs.” Coinciding with the line “put criminals behind bars,” he is featured chatting amiably with a heavyset man wearing a blue T-shirt that says “Law Enforcement” in white lettering. The bespectacled Calone delivers his one line wearing a button-down gray shirt and no tie. He’s shown being applauded in a business setting and in the final glimpse, walks astride younger people one presumes to be his family members.

As he did previously, Calone is playing up his past positions in both federal and state law enforcement and his role establishing business entities called Bridgehealth and the Long Island Emerging Technologies Fund. The strategy seems designed to highlight Calone’s outsider image in contrast with and to counter Romaine’s long career in elected office and party politics.

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

Pencil Point

The kids have an addiction problem 

September 8, 2023: Screening Procedures

September 8, 2023: Screening Procedures Credit: THE BUFFALO NEWS, NY/Adam Zyglis

For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons

Quick Points

Coming soon

  • The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s biometric timekeeping system to reduce worker abuse of overtime has not been used since March 2020. MTA chairman Janno Lieber said in December 2021 that the finger-scanning technology would return “sometime soon.” Which might still be true: In MTA world, 21 months is soon.
  • Former Olympic figure skating champion Sarah Hughes decided not to run for the seat in New York’s 4th Congressional District. It’s the political equivalent of bailing out on the quad.
  • When Spanish soccer federation head Luis Rubiales finally resigned after growing protests over him kissing on the lips a member of the nation’s World Cup-winning women’s team, he continued to defend his actions, saying in a statement that “the truth is prevailing more every day.” He’s right, though in the opposite way he intended.
  • Louisiana’s Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said he would be willing to speak with the centrist No Labels group about a third-party presidential run if the major party nominees are President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, saying that voters should have “another option.” Which is true in theory, as long as Cassidy understands people won’t actually vote for a third-party nominee. 
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended aging and struggling California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, saying that “it wasn’t that long ago where she would call me up, read me the riot act on issues …” Notably, he did not define “that long ago.”

— Michael Dobie michael.dobie@newsday.com

Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here.




Black Friday$1 FOR
1 YEAR
Unlimited Digital Access

ACT NOWCANCEL ANYTIME