Talk about phoning it in.
With Election Day finally here, the Queens race that could determine who controls the state Senate is winding down with phone-call help from some of New York's top politicos.
Former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Paterson recorded last-minute automated phone messages to reach out to voters on behalf of fellow Democrat Joseph Addabbo.
The city councilman is locked in a tight race with longtime Republican incumbent Sen. Serphin Maltese.
Known as "robocalls," the messages were to hit households in the district Monday and today.
Maltese's campaign countered with Mayor Bloomberg, who recorded a robocall urging voters to back Maltese.
"We're blanketing the district," Maltese spokeswoman Kristin Lord said.
In a key Long Island race, actor and Democratic activist Alec Baldwin lent his voice to a robocall to help Democrat Brian Foley unseat longtime Republican state Sen. Caesar Trunzo in Suffolk County.
Political experts differ on the effectiveness of such calls.
"For undecided voters, last-minute robocalls can be very helpful," said longtime veteran Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf.
Douglas Muzzio, professor of public affairs at Baruch College in New York, disagrees.
"There aren't too many voters who are going to be undecided enough that they get a call from Alec Baldwin or Mayor Bloomberg and say, 'Aha! They're for this candidate, so I will be, too.'"
Photo: Pace for News
