It wasn’t that long ago that Mayor Bloomberg was pulling his hair out over the actions of Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, but on his radio show today the mayor praised Silver as a “real adult” who is “looking out for the city.”

Bloomberg’s remarks came in the context of his budget war with Gov. Paterson, who has proposed a state budget that would cut $1.3 billion in aid to the city.

“If they hurt this city, that’s their revenue source,” said the mayor of Albany. “But they’re worried about the next election, not long term. That’s not everybody. There’s some people — if you take a look at the leadership, Shelly Silver is a guy who really does understand.

“He gets criticized for a lot of things. I don’t agree with him on everything. But I think he is actually a real adult and is looking out for the city….”

The mayor described the Assembly’s proposed budget — which would restore $230 million of a $493 million threatened reduction in education aid — as “more rational.”

Five years ago, when Silver short-circuited the city’s plan to build a football stadium on the far West Side, Bloomberg used other choice words to describe Silver. Rational was not one of them.

(Source: NY Post)