The Village Voice’s Wayne Barrett was recently watching New York City comptroller candidate David Yassky press the flesh when a “familiar face” climbed out of the subway at 72nd and Broadway. Let Barrett, a onetime professor of mine, tell the story:

Yassky stopped the man, sticking out his hand, introducing himself, and starting into a spiel he must have delivered thousands of times, expressing his hopes that the sheepish-looking, unsmiling man might see his way to support him.

“He’s already endorsed you,” I chimed in and Yassky turned back to me perplexed.

The man introduced himself. “I’m Arthur Sulzberger Jr.,” he said.

Yassky was only momentarily stunned. He began thanking the owner of the New York Times for its endorsement. “If I win, it’s because of you,” gushed Yassky.