Obama: Paterson Should Quit New York Governor's Race

President Obama has asked an increasingly embattled Gov. David Paterson to bow out of the 2010 governor's race.

Two senior administration officials and a New York Democratic operative told the New York Times that Obama and his political advisers sent the request to Gov. Paterson out of fear "that Mr. Paterson cannot recover from his dismal political standing." Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, a Queens Democrat, conveyed the message to the governor on behalf of the White House.

Paterson recently earned the ire of the president after mentioning Obama in his bungled remarks on racism in the media. Paterson claimed in a radio interview that he and other African-American political leaders, including Obama, are treated unfairly by the media because they are black.

If Paterson were to give up his bid for re-election, the path would seemingly be clear for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to take the Democratic nomination. Cuomo, whose father Mario served three terms as governor, has been polling well in recent months, with 67% of New Yorkers believing he should run.

Comments

[World Citizen]

Andrew Cuomo is doing a good job and should keep doing what he does. Moving him to the spot of governor would make the Financial Institutions quite happy. Is this in anyway connected to Obama's softening stance on our errant Financial Institutions? Bottom-line, whether or not this has been routinely done within a party, the way it was handled by Obama's staff tells a lot about the arrogance and/or carelessness of a man riding high on power. Afterall his staff works for him. Gov. Paterson, gets my sympathy.

[WonderingImriel]

In this capacity, the President is speaking as the leader of the Democratic Party. Paterson's numbers are abysmal and he will not recover from them.

It is of course Patterson's decision and not the President, and Patterson will make that choice. Stop whining about it. Or is it possible that the idea of Cuomo kicking Giuliani's a s s too scary for you?

[SorenB]

Does that make Obama a racist now? ;-)

[HarrisonPrice]

Yup.

[VanillaCreme]

Who is Obama to tell New Yorkers who should run for governor?

[HarrisonPrice]

The Chosen One can tell anybody anything he wants.

[yankees]

Good move President!!!!!

[DDKAHALAS]

Ive got a better idea. Why should Patterson listen to Obama? Obama should resign as President.
Our Vice President is a much better man. I trust him much more than i trust Obama.

Apparently Obama has sold out. His Campaign promises were just so he could hoodwink us all and get elected to please his narcissism ie self love.

[SorenB]

Slow down... I may not be supportive of Obama due to his inaction on his promises, but President Biden.... whoa that would be scary.

We would be at DEFCON 1 the next time somebody sneezed.

[hontoa1]

DDKAHALAS you as well as the other petitioners (against the BILL) NEVER VOTED FOR OBAMA IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!!
so why should he (and his supporters) care what you have to say ????

get a life you're nutts

[eahce]

Diebold couldn't even help Patterson, he has simply been atrocious as NY Govenor.

[WinterStorm]

Patterson mishandled Caroline Kennedy...­END OF STORY. He will never get Obama's support, because Obama wanted to guarantee Teddy Kennedy that there would be a Kennedy in the Senate and Patterson didn't help him to deliver on that promise. Race, stubbornness all of those things are an after thought. As far as Cuomo is concerned he could win statewide, even if he were an Independent. Mr. Patterson unfortunately is not a statewide candidate. His Lt. Gov position was patronage to Harlem. This is as far as he goes.

[jamalc]

cosigned

[SorenB]

Guarantee a Kennedy in the Senate???

Isn't that up to the PEOPLE to VOTE on?

[TaxDayMan]

Could be because he supports investigations of ACORN?

[Beamreach]

Obama should have offered him something not to run - an ambassadorship or something. Sounds like it was not handled well or we would not be hearing about it.

[me again]

Patterson is an accidental Governor, no charisma, no ideas; we are a rudderless ship. Adios Patterson!

[MyGuyO]

Maybe it's not right, but he should NOT run for the sake of the party. We need a BIG win in NY!

[Wonderwheel]

Patterson is guilty of committing the cardinal sin of Obama's political rule book: Don't blame anything on race. The fear of the Obama camp is that Patterson's remarks about race will make it an issue in the election, even the primary is too much exposure for this forbidden topic according to the Obama gang.

[Knowitall]

This folks is what I call a BS comment. I'm not a New Yorker, but from what I've read about Patterson, he is arrogant and stepping all over his own lines. He is certainly politically tone deaf. How can he expect to survive if he blames his failures on racism, when most of his problems have been caused by his own stubborness?

Unlike many commentators, I don't think many Blacks will give a second thought about Cuomo being preferred over Patterson in a primary. I'm sure Patterson's low numbers include some Blacks, and Cuomo's high numbers include some Blacks. Sometimes competence trumps everything else.

For example, not many Blacks voted for Sharpton or Jesse, and wouldn't vote for Steele, or Rice, or Thomas, etc., etc. etc. And it didn't/wouldn't matter if the opponent were White. Blacks want somebody who can WIN. Especially if the Republican challenger is somebody like Guilliani (cringe!!!)

[JessWonderin]

well put and VERY true . . . Patterson's a victim of his own "problems" . . . not pigment . . .

[MyGuyO]

No, it's not that. We need Cuomo to beat Guiliani. It's best that Patterson not run.

[blico]

You might be right! Since PBO was elected - I don't think there hasn't been any one or group accused of being r@c1$t.

[KarateKid]

The Accidental Governor should be happy he lucked in to the position to begin with. He'll never win a gubernatorial race.

[Doofus]

If Guiliani is running on the Republican side, any Democrat will have a
decent chance, some more decent than others. You can't ask for more than that.

[nyc-girl]

Patterson became a Governor by default. If all things were equal and David Patterson ran for Governor of NY in 2006 he would not have won - he wouldn’t have made it to the Primary. Spitzer’s scandal was his golden opportunity and he made TONS of blunders - including the extremely obtuse way he handled the vacant Hillary Clinton seat - esp with Caroline Kennedy..
There is NO chance that Patterson will win against almost ANY opponent; that is why EVEN Giuliani is "thinking" about running in NY State. Patterson should step aside for someone who can possibly win.
We just don't want him back because our State is usually well-run. There has been such disarray over the last 2 years. Truth be told, I am surprised that he was handled by such kid-gloves. Normally the NY press is brutal with inept politicians.
Of course there will be a Primary, which Patterson will DEFINTELY lose. But some of the problems with primaries and all elections is the MILLIONS spent and also the personal damage & squabbling - before actually meeting up with the Final Contender from the other party. Although NY is a very Democratic State, we have had several Republican Governors.