Governor David A. Paterson

the good news (4.00 / 4)

if he does indeed become governor, is that paterson is a real, sincere reformer. so much so that shelly hates him. really.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:10:48 AM UTC

it seems to me (4.00 / 2)

That Paterson actually KNOWS what it's like to be on the thin end of the stick when it comes to the abuse of minority party members in this state.  The frustration.

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by: NYCO @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:13:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I've only heard him speak (0.00 / 0)

but he was impressive, and I was happy when he was selected.

(I was surprised, given that it made for an all-NYC ticket, but that calculation seemed to work fine.)

He should have a different perspective on Three Men in a Room, too.

I'd be happy to see Governor David A. Paterson.

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by: simonstl @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:26:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Real, Sincere (4.00 / 1)

Person.  And genuinely humble.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:19:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I've heard nothing... (4.00 / 1)

but high praise for Paterson. He would make a fine governor - under any circumstances.

That said, let's keep fighting for the one we have now. I'm not ready to give up on him. Am I pissed at him? Yes. Am I disappointed? Yes. But I fought for him to get elected in 2006 and I'm not ready to just lay down and let him take bullets from the Republican attack machine.

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by: robert.harding @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 02:22:27 AM UTC

It's hard to see one of your own fall (0.00 / 0)

We have our attack machines against the Republicans, too.  I know this is a hard time to be a Democrat when someone who promised to stand up to the firing brigade and be an agent of change shows up a year later...having just as sleazy an image as those we attack.  It's as though he walked up to the Republican attack machine and gave them  assault rifles, blindfolded himself, and lit a Cuban.

I think we are both pissed, dissapointed, and even saddened tonight.  So we should not take these feelings and channel them into a fight; rather, we should turn these feelings in coming to a consensus through being hopeful that this will put an end to the Republican v. Democratic tenor in Albany.  Some fights should not be continued, and some should never be commenced.

This is one hard pill to swallow, but it may help us wake up easier tomorrow moring.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 03:00:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

when does it end? (4.00 / 1)

This might well be a politically motivated investigation that does not result in any charges filed.  Yes, Spitzer behaved poorly.  But do we really want to roll over every time a politically charged investigation turns up something, anything?  Isn't that how Bill Clinton was impeached?  At what point do we say, enough?

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by: hearthmoon @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 03:06:56 AM UTC

exactly (0.00 / 0)

this is precisely why i'm asking everyone to calm down for just a minute and take a breath. it may come to the point where a resignation may indeed be warranted in my book, but 9 hours into this thing ain't it. besides, it totally feeds the perception that dems are wusses. if this was a GOP gov, there's no fucking way they'd pack it in so quickly.

david vitter. larry craig. newt gingrich. i could go on...

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 03:21:17 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

we're not the GOP (4.00 / 3)

and I'm weary of this "tit for tat" attitude so many Democrats have about demonstrating public and political integrity.  

Spitzer is a pure liability.  Given the way his term has played out, there is NO REASON to keep him now except sentimentality.  Not even Bruno being a heartbeat away from the governorship.

He has no political value to the national or state Democrats or to the people of New York any more.  He is a millstone around our necks.

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by: NYCO @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 12:11:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I have no probem with (4.00 / 1)

Gov. David Paterson.

Nor do most Democrats.

And nor do most New York voters.

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by: devtob @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 03:36:04 AM UTC

Question (0.00 / 0)

Does anyone know what the procedure for selecting another Lt. Governor is, under the scenario that Spitzer resigns.  

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by: Klugstah @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 03:43:27 AM UTC

There is none (4.00 / 2)

Joe Bruno becomes Acting Lt. Governor until 2010. He keeps his Senate seat too, so a 31-31 tie would keep them in control.

I know, you can just kick Eliot Spitzer, can't you?  

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by: nrafter530 @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 04:07:45 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Special guy (4.00 / 2)

David Paterson has a unique, geeky kind of intelligence that I really admire.  He has amazing recall of everything, including even seemingly minor details.  Plus, he has real managerial talent (missing, IMHO, in Spitzer's intrigue-and-argument-focused administration) and a career in which the only real power he possessed was the opportunity to convince people of things, often using real facts.  And, he is kind, human, and has a good sense of humor. Plus, as pointed out above, he is actually a free-thinking reformer-type.

Given the chance, I would have supported him in a primary against Eliot back in the day.... although, a guy like him would never fit the mold, so, he wasn't even running.  As I remember, we had privileged white-male-princely-type Eliot, or, before that, privileged white-male-princely-type Andrew.  Either of whom would not really surprise me if they considered themselves part of the "Emperors Club," although I usually refer to them as "Masters of the Universe."  David Paterson is only, maybe, like a "Lion of Harlem".  And, the Lions are a community-service group, aren't they?

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by: robinia @ Tue Mar 11, 2008 at 08:38:18 AM UTC