George Pataki

It is an opera lover's midsummer night's dream: a picnic blanket, a bottle of wine and blissful strains of Mozart, Verdi or Puccini in New York's Central Park.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Children yearned for lost parents and grown men and women sobbed in raw grief on the brass bearing the names of nearly 3,000 dead as America commemorated the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Children yearned for lost parents and grown men and women sobbed in raw grief on the brass bearing the names of nearly 3,000 dead as America commemorated the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

(Reuters) - Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11 hijacked plane attacks on the United States, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former New York Governor George Pataki plans to visit Iowa on Saturday as speculation mounts that he will jump into the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Gay marriage backer George Pataki considers entering the crowded GOP race for president . Move over Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson, there might be a full marriage equality candidate in the GOP race for president: Former New York Governor George Pataki. According to The New York Daily News, Pataki is close to formally declaring his bid for the White House. While former Utah Governor Huntsman's and former New Mexico Governor Johnson's support for civil unions for gay and lesbian couples leave them out of sync with their competitors who mostly oppose gay marriage and support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual union, Pataki supports full marriage for gay couples. The only other GOP candidate who supports marriage is Fred Karger, an openly gay former political strategist turned gay marriage activist. David Catalfano, a Pataki spokesman, told the paper that the former governor ?continues to give it serious consideration.? But the paper noted that New York Republica

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two Native American tribes have lost a round in their court battle to block New York state from collecting cigarette taxes from reservation stores.

With midterm elections out of the way, 2012 presidential politicking picks up in New Hampshire. There's no rest for the politically weary in New Hampshire.

Introducing the new governors headed for executive mansions around the nation. A look at the newest faces in the nation's governorships:

Dem Andrew Cuomo beats back tea party Republican in NY, wins governor's seat his father held. Democrat Andrew Cuomo coasted past tea party Republican Carl Paladino after an exceedingly nasty race to win election Tuesday as governor of New York ? the job his father, Mario, held in the 1980s and '90s.

Dem Cuomo preaches unity back home in Queens; GOP's Paladino gets late backing in NY gov race. Democrat Andrew Cuomo, comfortably ahead in New York's race for governor, energized union voters and other supporters Monday by casting Democrats controlling state and federal government as the antidote to years of lingering problems caused by Republicans.

PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Fall foliage lures visitors to New Hampshire, and this season nearly a dozen top Republicans have visited the state, not for the colorful leaves but to gauge support for possible 2012 presidential bids.

Trump faces many roadblocks in bid to build catering hall at NY's Jones Beach. After promising in typical Trumpian modesty to replace a restaurant at a landmark New York beach with "the finest dining and banquet facility anywhere in the world," Donald Trump seethes four years later that visitors still must pass what he calls "a rat-infested dump."

Group formed by GOP ex-NY gov Pataki pushing for health overhaul repeal targets NH Dems in ads. An advocacy group led by former New York Gov. George Pataki has begun running television ads in New Hampshire and New York attacking Democratic supporters of the new health care reform law.

The new tea party is still disjointed, but it has energy, money and detente with Republicans. Tea party activists and the Republican establishment are quickly joining forces for the fall elections as fresh cash and energy flow to the upstarts.

Despite top-of-ticket advantage, Democrats could lose 8 Empire State seats in US House. For all the Democrats' strength and swagger in New York, the party could lose as many as eight U.S. House seats in the Empire State alone in November.

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When court adjourns, NY judge trades in gavel for bass guitar, plays shows in rock band. Acting Supreme Court Justice Matthew D'Emic has an important decision to make, with potentially far-reaching implications: Does the classic rock band he used to play in need a new name?

Republican operative accused of stealing $1M that NYC mayor gave to Independence Party. A Republican operative was indicted Monday on charges he exploited his political reputation to swindle $1.1 million from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, claiming he would use funds to help guard against election fraud but instead buying a house, prosecutors said.

GOP chooses ex-Rep. Rick Lazio for NY governor; Levy narrowly misses forcing primary. Former U.S. Rep. Rick Lazio survived a slow campaign start and a challenge from a Democrat backed by the state Republican chairman to win the GOP designation for governor on Wednesday.