Asked by reporters today to gauge the effect of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s statewide tour on the Big 3 Issues, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said it was “irrelevant.”

“It’s irrelevant. As far as I’m concerned, I’m here, we’re governing and that’s the important thing,” Silver said.

Spokesman Michael Whyland later clarified to say Silver meant it was irrelevant as to whether the governor was in Albany, meaning the work of state government will grind on.

Silver did say over the weekend that his members would “rather cut deals than listen to speeches.”

Cuomo was in Nassau County today to push for his major agenda items with now six weeks to go before the Legislature wraps up their official business in June. Cuomo wants a 2 percent cap on property taxes, an ethics overhaul and the legalization of gay marriage.

There is increasing daylight between the Legislature and the governor — with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos telling Liz last week that he sees shades of Eliot Spitzer in Cuomo’s behavior. Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy said earlier today that comparing Cuomo to Spitzer was an “overreaction.”

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