A slow news day turns hectic with a hastily-called 4 p.m. Friday presser ... and the celebration at City Hall is suddenly over. Duffy and Chief Moore hold separate news conferences. After Moore is finished, reporters and cameramen step forward to shake his hand. Here are the last grafs of the story:

... The morning after the election, Duffy said there “may be some decisions I have to make — personnel, programmatic … If tough decisions need to be made up through the end of the year, I will make those and not put those off onto someone else’s plate.” At the time, it seemed the comment referred to potential mid-year budget cuts.

Duffy said Friday that the change in police leadership was one he and Moore reached together. Moore echoed that in the later news conference, saying he was not forced out and “there is no dissatisfaction at all.”

“This is a decision that I’ve thought about for a number of months,” the chief said. “I think it’s time to reflect and move on. The transition (to a new city administration) is happening.”

Pressed further, however, Moore said: “When is it a good time to say it’s a good time to move on, when you absolutely love the … people who work in this department?”

Moore said Duffy “has always made public safety his No. 1 agenda,” and Sheppard was someone the officers would follow.

“I serve at the pleasure of the mayor,” Moore said. “I knew that coming in. I realize that now.”

Robert Duffy, the reluctant politician, now in Albany

MANHATTAN — On a stage literally across the hall from where, five months ago, Robert Duffy was ushered onto the state's political stage, the Rochester mayor now lieutenant governor-elect stood before a cheering crowd Tuesday night as heir to the second-highest office in New York.

"I'm the luckiest person in the world," he later told reporters.

Last year at this time, Duffy had just won an uncontested re-election to a second term as mayor of Rochester — his native city, a place he has called a "forgotten city," some 330 miles away from New York City and the Sheraton hotel where he celebrated with family and friends.
...

As the festivities ended Tuesday and the music blared, Duffy and Cuomo stepped from the stage, disappearing into a pulsing wave of campaign signs.

Duffy trailed behind, striking a high-five to an outstretched hand. Today, he said, it's back to work at City Hall.

Democrats ponder possible successor to Mayor Robert Duffy

Nearly five years have passed since Thomas Richards invited the mayor elect into his home. Robert Duffy had come with a purpose back in November 2005, wanting Richards to leave retirement and join his team as the city's chief lawyer.

"I would say Tom was stunned by our discussion. He was taken aback," Duffy recalls now.
Richards did not offer an immediate response. Duffy said he heard nothing for a couple of weeks. Then, one night, the phone rang. Richards asked one question. Duffy doesn't recall the issue, only that in context, "I knew I had him."

This week, Duffy again came asking. And, again, Richards accepted — this time to step in as the city's next deputy mayor.

The role he will assume on Wednesday places him in line to be interim mayor, if not mayor, should Duffy be elected lieutenant governor on Tuesday.
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"He's said all along he wants to have a voice in it," City Council member Carolee Conklin said of Duffy and the choice of his successor. "Now he's got one."

Mayor Robert Duffy reaches out to upstate minority voters

BUFFALO — Stomping shook the floor of the century-old church. The cramped congregation was on its feet, hands raised, dancing.

"Jesus!" the female soloist sang out, in a call-and-response chorus that grew more fervent with each repetition. "Jesus!" the faithful shouted back.

Stepping from the choir, she leaned over the pulpit, pointed and smiled. In the front row, lifted from his pew like the others, stood Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.

The spirited True Bethel Baptist service was the third on Duffy's schedule this past Sunday. He will return to the Queen City this Sunday for more praising, more preaching, more politicking.