All Eyes on Smith

ALBANY—Ahhh, the spoils of victory.

Let's contrast the receptions of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Malcolm Smith, who was elected senate majority leader last week, when they arrived this morning at a Family Planning Advocates rally.

Silver walked in with Dan Weiller, his spokesman, and another staffer. Smith was trailed by a flurry of photographers, a top policy adviser, his counsel, and three press aides. When he arrived at the sidelines of the event, Smith was greeting and kissing well-wishers, many of whom waited in a small gaggle around Smith. Silver greeted the members of his conference that were there, but then stood quietly listening to the events proceedings.

Smith received a standing ovation. Silver: polite applause.