Aides: Paterson urged to reconsider NY gov race
This analysis is not about Governor David Paterson.
Instead I would like to return to the time period in which he assumed office after the fall of then governor Elliot Spitzer.
For a group of people who are sour about the "racism" that is present in politics in this nation - it is interesting how a "man's character and qualifications to be an effective governor" was evaluated, it appears, more by his race than his own competency.
Since assuming office and failing to lead the state - the NY legislature has imploded. Democrat on Democrat in-fighting briefly caused a few Democrats to caucus with Republicans thus flipping the balance of power. During this time of unclarity about who was the majority power in the legislature both parties held competing legislative sessions, each with their own official presiding over the session because each identified their own guy as having the authority to do so. This while the state's finances had collapsed because of the meltdown in Wall Street.
Where are these people who vouched for David Paterson back then?
I recall reading several people enumerate "How STRONG Black people are growing under the framework of the Democratic party. We have a Black governor in New York and Massachusetts. We have a Black US Senator who has a good chance of becoming the President of the United States. We have an all Democratic 'Congressional Black (Democratic) Caucus. What have you Black Conservatives got except a shoe shining assignment for the Republicans"?
It is clear to me that those who are quickest to call out other people's racially based conspiracies are themselves frequent trollers in the area of race.
I have little doubt that David Paterson's support among Black New York voters remains far above 50%. Recall a few weeks ago that Patterson attributed his troubles to racism. Upon hearing this - some of the same people who say that race is playing apart in the stance against Obama did not believe that David Patterson's charges had grounds. They could see with their own eyes that he has been a dud.
We must also go back to the general news media. "The First Black Governor" in New York became a newsworthy event in and of itself. They also touted his vision impairment. Some of those who attacked the Republican South Carolina governor's marital infidelity glossed over the documented infidelity in Paterson's record. Surely they were not going to allow this to torpedo the history that they celebrated.
I hope that this run of bigotry and racial double standards will run its course.
The Black voter remains as the most inelastic racial voting bloc in America. Sadly, despite the domination of this one machine over where we live in our highest concentrations - our grievances remain as strong as ever.
ALBANY, N.Y. – National Democratic Party leaders have asked Gov. David Paterson to consider withdrawing from the 2010 governor's race, according to two senior New York Democratic advisers.
Both advisers, who are close to the governor, spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for Paterson. The sources said it was unclear what Paterson would do in response.
The New York Times, which originally reported the request on its Web site, said that it was President Barack Obama who asked Paterson to withdraw.
Party leaders in Washington have become concerned about Paterson's political weakness, believing the governor's office is too important to risk losing, one of the state Democratic advisers told the AP on Saturday.
Paterson spokesman Peter Kauffmann declined comment to the AP on Sunday morning. White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A message about the race was delivered from top national Democrats at a dinner Friday night with Paterson, but it was unclear whether it was at the direction of Obama, one of the advisers said. The Democratic leaders spoke of a concern referred to as the "David Paterson problem," the adviser said.
The request has been in the works for a couple weeks, and the intention was to wait until after the state's primary to deliver it, the other adviser said.
Patrick Gaspard, Obama's political director, was scheduled to meet with the governor on Monday, one of the sources said.
Obama is scheduled to be in upstate New York that day, when he is expected to deliver a vision of economic revival to students at the Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.
As lieutenant governor, Paterson moved to the governor's office in March 2008 with Eliot Spitzer's resignation amid a prostitution scandal. But in the months since, his popularity has plummeted, and the state's economic situation deteriorated, with job losses mounting and the unemployment rate rising to the highest in 26 years.
Paterson has announced he will seek a full term in the 2010 election.
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