Spitzer Trumps Paterson For Governor: Poll

A new Marist poll found that a majority of New Yorkers would prefer sex-scandal plagued former Governor Eliot Spitzer to current Governor David Paterson. Fifty-one percent of those polled said they would prefer Spitzer, and only 19 percent believe Paterson is doing a good or excellent job in office.

The poll has more bad news for Paterson.

66% of voters say he does not have what it takes to lead the state while just 28% think he is a good leader ... Looking at one of the most pressing problems in New York State - the economic crisis - 68% of the electorate disapproves of how Paterson is handling the situation, and 23% approve...

Although a full 66 percent of voters say Paterson is working hard as governor, just two months ago 77 percent of voters believed he was working hard.

Comments

[amoment]

How can Patterson lead anybody when he's blind?

[HC4BO]

Sucks for them ...

Next time they will NOT be so overly sensitive when a man does something even the Christian right consider a normality in any Marriage ...

That is, cheat on the wife with a prostitute ...

[Leon72]

I am a black life long democrat and I can honestly say Paterson is one of the worst politcians/leaders I have ever seen. He is completely clueless. His grandstanding with Clinton replacement senate seat made my stomach turn. He tried to milk that situation for all the attention it was worth and came across as a big buffon. Dem establishment in NY need to see to it sooner than later that he will not run in the general election. Good riddance.

[etc]

It seems, that we don't have that many options at this time, but I hope that things will change.

[Oonagh]

He needs to spend more time with his family.... he does not have what it takes to be Gov of NY.

[blueskybigstar]

The investigation of Spitzer was caused by his investigations into Wall Street. There was no other reason to spy on him and have it leaked. Paterson appears as though he is a patty to the Clintons and their corporatist group. Why else was he so against Caroline?

[yellowdoggie]

That's sort of like an option between Spaghettios and a corndog. Dont' want either one.

[Carsy]

What happened with Spitzer was between him and his family. It shouldn't have become part of the national dialogue.

[fantomette]

yep. and he was right about the banks..no wonder they shut him up.

[Ryan Lobo]

Yea, Carsy, remember Monica Lewinsky: and nobody's been impeached for lying about the reasons for invading Iraq!!!!

[LWilkinson315]

We had high hopes for Paterson BUT the handling of Caroline was HORRIBLE. He is a very smart man but you have to a certain slimey-ness about you to be able to run a state like New York and Patterson just does not have the brass ones to do it

[lovethesinner]

Spitzer was removed from office by Bush. It was a set up to get him out of the way in time for the Wall St. Bailout.

Bush's Real Problem with Eliot Spitzer:
http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/25-bushs-real-problem-with-eliot-spitzer/

Here's the op-ed Spitzer ran that got him taken down by Wall Street:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021302783.html

It's not my state, but... it is my country. I wish Spitzer was back on the job. Regardless of his sex life.

[PiscesPrincess]

I am glad to see you look at this whole scandal in the light of day. It sure Smells to High Heaven.
I thought so when I saw an interview about a month ago where I said to my husband, This fellow would make a terrific jurist on the Supreme court. Now wouldn't That be a tail twister. huh?

[ABCD]

He may be really good at what he does but he broke the law.

[AngelaQuattrano]

Special prosecutor for Wall Street.

[Glenn Manning]

You made more sense with your Grassy Knoll and Area 51 conspiracies.

[IbeHappy]

I assume you're still believing that Saddam had WMDs, too.

[Fairiswhat]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/10/wall-street-cheers-news-o_n_90796.html

[johnie2xs]

Here's some more.

http://www.gregpalast.com/elliot-spitzer-gets-nailed/

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/291.html

[lovethesinner]

thanks for that link. It's always better when Greg tells the story.

[111]

Spitzer was not a politician. He went after the Wall Streeters and corrupt Albany politicians and made a lot of enemies. I was more than disappointed with Patterson after admitting his motivation for selecting Gilibrand was to better his chance at re-election.

I would love to see Spitzer teamed up with Cuomo and will vote for him if he runs.

[researcher]

i live in az and someone in new york did not send me my product I paid for and spitizer as attorney general got it for me.

he would get my vote in a minute

we are a sex starved nation yes he cheated on his wife.

maybe he learned what not to do.

give him another chance

as far as we know bush jr did not cheat and look how that turned out.

we all have our weaknesses his was women

clinton also and he was pretty good as a pres

europe laughs at our sex hang ups

christianity died on the cross

[PiscesPrincess]

Well Put !

[ABCD]

He didn't simply cheat on his wife. He paid for sex and that is illegal.

[johnie2xs]

Thank you Mr/Ms Hall Monitor.

[Samalabear]

Which is another thing that they laugh at us in Europe for. Another thing that should be regulated and taxed. It has been around since the beginning of time and, really, we are ridiculous in this area.

[useyourbrain]

Not if the governor does it or the President does it.

So is invading a country and killing hundreds of thousands of people. So is torture and then lying about it. Should I go on?

[Ryan Lobo]

R you sure you don't have a log in your eye??

[VINER]

why?
70% of First Responders and others afflicted have died or become ill, and many more will likely become ill in the future. The government has yet to allocate the necessary funds to deal with this health crisis, consistently refusing to acknowledge that any of these people are sick because of 9/11.
http://nyccan.org/

-v

[PiscesPrincess]

viner, what ARE you talking about. Responding to another op/ed? go post this where it belongs.

[cynthia3217]

Spitzer was a great Attorney General. I find it ironic that infidelity is rampant in Congress (Hey! Vitter), but seems punishable elsewhere.

[noudidnt]

Paterson's staff is inept. The Caroline Kennedy fiasco may have ruined his term as Governor.

[Bendo1960]

um, sounds like to me Spitzer for Gov. now that would be interesting, but I think Cumo is going to run in the Dem primary, would make a real interesting primary race!

[JDJase]

Cuomo already announced hes not running for gov

[Jenzig]

I think Paterson had his hands tied though. He walked into a disasterous financial situation even before this financial crisis, NY already had problems, thanks to Gov Pataki and his repub boys in the senate.

I think Paterson is trying to do the best he can. He is realistic about having to make tough choices to fix the problems. Gillenbrand turned out to be a good pick after all and he caught a bunch of flack for that.

[hjo4]

Being that the Governor election is NEXT November this poll isn't worth the money spent taking it, if it's accurate at all. The New York tabloids turned on Governor Paterson like a pack of rabid dogs when he didn't appoint the inept Caroline Kennedy to fill now Scty of State Clinton Senate seat. They've been on a campaign to destroy him ever since. You could put anyone in the NYS Governor's office and they'd have the same problems Paterson is having if not worse. Never in NYS history has an attack on a Governor been so vitriolic.­He is the first disabled, Black Governor and he's extremely smart and he is no one's boy. That doesn't sit to well with certain segments of New Yorkers. Of course he's made mistakes, but none so serious that warrants the unfair attacks against him now . Btw, New York City residents TWICE approved a referendum for Term Limits our current Mayor went to court and had that law overturned so he could run for an unprecedented third term. The New York Media has been silent on that trampling the will of the voters, but they lead the charge to oust the Governor. Go figure.We know what this is all about.

[brt929]

Actually, maybe its the tax increase during a recession that cooked his goose.

[Ryan Lobo]

You're right! You know when Putin changed rules everyone said that it was a subversion of democracy!