The NYT magazine is the latest publication to take a crack at a profile of the Democratic gubernatorial designee, AG Andrew Cuomo, turning out a lengthy report by contributing writer Jonathan Mahler that will appear in this weekend’s edition.

The piece is nicely done, but doesn’t break much new ground that I can see. Mahler, like so many writers before him, lingers on the by turns intense, competitive and fiercely loyal relationship between former Gov. Mario Cuomo and his son.

Mahler got access to both Cuomo pere and fils (heavy on the former, with the AG being unable to prevent himself from calling in from time to time to check on the story’s progress). That produced some rather amusing moments, particularly Mario Cuomo’s take on the AG’s chief campaign spokesman, Phil Singer. (See P. 7 of the 10-jump story).

The most telling quote to my mind comes at the very end of the piece when Cuomo is trying to explain how he will not be the sort of governor that Eliot “Steamroller” Spitzer was and will be able to work with state lawmakers – even after he spent the entire campaign slamming them and promising to clean up Albany.

After quoting numerous anonymous legislators slamming the AG – and Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., who has no trouble going on the record with his anti-Cuomo comments – Mahler kicks with this:

“Everybody is bracing for a confrontation,” Cuomo told Mahler. “I don’t believe there’s going to be a confrontation.”

“The Legislature doesn’t want trouble. They want good news from a P.R. point of view. They need redemption. They need a friend. Eliot could have been their best friend. I think I can be their best friend.”

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