Thanks, Gang of Four!

Those of us who’ve been covering Democratic Party politics all these years feel slightly disoriented at the image of a political movement that’s unified, flush with cash, and confident.

Okay – more than slightly. It’s flat-out weird to see Dems acting like grown-ups. So I say thank Heavens for the Gang of Four!

If you haven’t heard, these are four Democratic Senators who’ve announced suddenly that they won’t accept Malcolm Smith’s leadership in the state Senate — at least not without some serious coaxing.

Their rebellion could flip control back to the GOP.

According to the NY Times treatment, the feud has broken down on largely racial lines.

Three of the four holdouts are Latino legislators who feel Latinos have been underrepresented in leadership roles in city and state government and want to press the issue in the Senate.

Mr. Díaz said the four men, who have formed an independent political caucus, may put off making a decision on whom to back for leader until the new legislative session begins in January.

“There’s a concern that we have a black president, a black governor and we have a concern that we have to be sharing power,” said Mr. Díaz.

It’s worth asking why Senator Smith and the Gang of Four didn’t hold this conversation before voters gave Democrats a majority in the state Senate?

Didn’t they know that there was at least a small chance that they would face the question of leadership in the Senate?

But I for one welcome a touch of familiarity.

It’s good to know that in the midst of all this change — with Wall Street still on life support and the state budget in dire need of attention — the comfortable old dysfunctional Democratic Party is still alive and well.