Golden Throws A Curve Maybe it was the open bar. Maybe it was the hubbub caused by Hillary Clinton's short-lived appearance at the county dinner. Maybe he was joking. But maybe, just maybe, Borough President Howard Golden was serious when he said that he's considering a run for city comptroller. It is hard to imagine Golden pushing aside old friend and former deputy borough president William Thompson, Jr. so that Golden could make a run for the office that Thompson, now president of the Board of Education, covets for himself.

But to hear the term-limited Golden talk, such a move is not beyond the realm of possibility. "I might even run for comptroller myself," said Golden when asked how the Coney Island baseball stadium-and his soured relations with Councilmember Herb Berman -- might affect his choice of Berman or Thompson for comptroller. When asked if he was serious, Golden seemed a bit offended by the implication that he might be joking. His expression turned heavy and he said that he was considering it.

Berman waved off the possibility as a vindictive ploy. Thompson, cornered in the Marriott lobby, was understandably caught a little off guard. "I'm running for comptroller," he said. "Howard's family."

Suit A Possibility Speaking of the borough president, Golden said that he would soon sit down with his staff to consider his options regarding the Coney Island baseball stadium. A lawsuit, he said, is one possibility to be considered. Golden's attempt to block the stadium in the City Council failed and plans to erect the Sportsplex on the Steeplechase sight were thrown into serious jeopardy.

However, a local development corporation (LDC) was established to create amateur sports facilities in Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay. If the LDC's primary goal is to build the Sportsplex next to the stadium, a suit could be brought on the grounds that the ULURP process failed to examine both projects at the same time, thereby segmenting the development of the site. The LDC's mission was expanded to all of southern Brooklyn in part to defend against such a suit.

No Deal, Says Gadson From the strength of her response, it is apparent that Deputy Borough President Jeannette Gadson is sick and tired of the rumor now making its way around local political circles. The rumor-and State Senator Marty Markowitz is not entirely convinced it's untrue-is that Gadson and Councilmember Ken Fisher are working out some arrangement in which Gadson will drop out of the borough president's race and back Fisher.

Asked whether there was any truth to the word, Gadson said sternly, "Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Is there any part of that you don't understand?" 'Nuf said.

Lopez Still Undecided Assemblymember Vito Lopez might be running for public advocate or he might not. Either way, he said that he would make his decision in July. If Lopez were to enter the race, he would go up against Councilmember Stephen DiBrienza, who is term-limited, as well as several candidates from Manhattan.

The Clinton Files Hillary Clinton, part candidate, part celebrity and part first lady, stopped by for a few moments at the county dinner last week. She was thronged, of course, by Brooklyn's faithful Democrats, who jockeyed and clawed their way to a handshake. The only elected officials not part of the Clinton stampede were State Senator Carl Kruger and Councilmember Mike Nelson, who did not turn up until after the first lady departed. After the stop in Brooklyn, Clinton traveled to events in the Bronx and Nassau County. The hectic schedule prompted Clinton campaign manager Bill DeBlasio to quip, "We're running an active campaign."

Clinton's opponent, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, recently cancelled two upstate events to attend the Yankees home opener instead. His strategy thus far-to remain in the city instead of hitting the trail-has led to much second-guessing by upstate Republicans. While Clinton made an appearance, it was all show. She did not field questions from reporters. Her staff, in fact, seemed a bit rattled that reporters were at the dinner, apparently believing that it was closed to press. One Clinton flack even told a reporter that the event was "closed press" despite the fact that the reporter was holding a ticket.

Go figure.

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