David Paterson: Obama Could Be A One-Term President If GOP 'Had A Consensus Candidate' (VIDEO)

Adam Goldberg interviews former New York Gov. David Paterson.

540 Park at The Loews Regency Hotel in New York City is the stuff of legend. For years, powerful figures have frequented the self-described "home of the Power Breakfast" to dine among the Big Apple's elite.

On Wednesday, HuffPost joined the fun. During our first visit to this famed Manhattan hot spot, we caught up with former New York Gov. David Paterson. He shared his thoughts on the GOP primary, President Barack Obama's reelection prospects and Rush Limbaugh.

"It's just amazing how Gov. Romney can't close the deal," Paterson said, noting, "There are plenty of reasons why President Obama could be a one-term president, but the most important reason would be if [Republicans] had a consensus candidate." Added Paterson: "Right now, they don't."

Commenting about Newt Gingrich, Paterson said that the former speaker of the House "is a multiple personality who's often destroying himself."

The former governor also addressed Limbaugh's controversial remarks about law student Sandra Fluke, calling the radio host's comments "loathsome and despicable."

Watch the interview in the video above.

Ryan Grim contributed to this report.

Comments

[hjo4]

03:49 PM on 03/21/2012

It's no love lost between former Governor David Paterson and President Obama, after all President Obama publicly and actively work against Governor Paterson in favor of current Governor Andrew Cuomo. Governor Paterson is correct there are many real reasons why President Obama can be a one term POTUS even with a lame GOP nominee like Governor Romney.

[Barb Hatfield]

11:24 AM on 03/10/2012

Is that the guy from Blues Clues interviewing the Gov? LOL Actually, that seems appropriate.

[SelectaLeft]

06:34 PM on 03/09/2012

David Patterson was a "EVEN LESS than 1 Term Governor," so I'm not sure he should throw stones.

^ That wasn't a blind joke.

^ But, that was.

[bobbiewick]

12:59 AM on 03/10/2012

The people who post comments to HP haven't been governors at all, yet they are invited to throw stones, spears and even poisoned darts. Governor Paterson is correct about Obama's underwhelming popularity, and the correctness of his statement is unrelated to how long he served.

[S1m0n]

03:22 PM on 03/09/2012

The inability of the GOP to find a candidate is neither an accident nor a conundrum, and cannot be singled out as a unique variable which, if changed, would alter the entire race.. The GOP's present failure is a symptom of a party in deep disarray and is unfit to govern. Even with a consensus candidate the GOP would be just as unfit.

Any president 'could' be a single-termer, but Obama has never been likely to. Apart from the economy, all the remaining macro scale factors fall on the President's side of the fence.

[Billyguitar]

03:04 PM on 03/09/2012

Even if Obama lost the election, just think how strong he'd be to make a comeback after the repubs boogered it all up again!

[bobbiewick]

01:02 AM on 03/10/2012

Hopefully, if Obama were to lose the election he'd be gone for good. The Democrats have many other highly qualified people to rally behind. They don't need an encore performance from someone whose stint in the White House has been saliently mediocre.

[DRouss3977]

01:58 PM on 03/09/2012

Paterson's opinion is wrapped in hard feelings. Consider the source and rise above it!

[bobbiewick]

01:03 AM on 03/10/2012

You don't need "hard feelings" to notice that Obama's presidency has failed to deliver as promised.

[Fogcatcher]

07:30 PM on 03/08/2012

This administration is taking our freedoms away and giving it to the Government....If you people vote this man back in office then you deserve what you get.... higher gas prices, electric bills, food, clothes... you name it!! You voted in a ruler, a man that thinks the Europeans got it all wrong pertaining to green energy and he can do better... A man that believes that he is so much smarter than you, you couldn't possibly have gotten along without him for all of these years.....He knows what car you should be driving, he knows what food you should be feeding your children.....He knows that the healthcare you have been provided isn't better than what he...the Government... can provide...

Let's not forget that Obama works for us, he doesn't rule over us......

[Try Thinking]

07:43 PM on 03/08/2012

Let's not forget there are too many ignorant sounding individuals out there like you Fogcatcher. Do you even comprehend what you wrote or is that the pablum your party forced you to eat so you could regurgitate it?

[Fogcatcher]

07:55 PM on 03/08/2012

It's people like you that believe what Obama is telling you but aren't paying attention to what he's been doing... Millions of Americans are paying attention and we don't like what we are seeing...

[ReaRea]

02:58 PM on 03/09/2012

As read Fogcatcher blog; I was thinking it will be the other way around. If another repub, Mitt, is placed into office he will finish what the Bush admin started and we all will be in the great depression soup line with a tin pan. I guess some of these folks do not believe crap stink.

[nezzieclark]

04:57 PM on 03/09/2012

I have to say that you are the MOST STUPID PERSON THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD or
somebody put you up to this insane statement. You have the right name " FOGCATCHER"/

[ravennightfall31]

07:23 PM on 03/08/2012

Obumhug may be a one-term president because he promised change and unfortunately didn't change anything except the color of a US president's skin.

[ReaRea]

03:02 PM on 03/09/2012

Stop blogging. Clearly you do not know what you are talking about. You are just another one hiding behind the sheet. I believe if folk will just call him the N word you will probably feel better. There is not one REPO that have the GUTS to spit out the N. word. Double dare you.

[jrleftfoot]

06:59 PM on 03/08/2012

This is a non-story, premised on the response of a person with extremely limited influence, to a question he wasn`t actually asked.His statements regarding Gingrich ,Limprichard and Romney were much more telling ,but not controversial enough to warrant a bogus headline.

[Turtlenewz]

06:39 PM on 03/08/2012

The only way President Obama is a one term President is : If People become divisive and the extreme liberal Democrats stay home and do not vote for whatever reason

[spunky2go]

07:31 PM on 03/08/2012

And that isn't going to happen. In fact, in my precinct, anyone who needs a ride is getting one.

[Turtlenewz]

08:49 PM on 03/08/2012

more importantly emphasis must be made that every student has proper ID and efforts are made to assist them to get proper ID

[bobbiewick]

02:07 PM on 03/09/2012

Obama should have thought of that when he dumped our governor. Nobody believes his Hallmark card platitudes any longer; he's just lucky that the GOP is divided and lacks a credible candidate. We need a Bernie or a Hillary in the White House -- somebody who knows how to be a President.

[Turtlenewz]

12:06 AM on 03/10/2012

and if your anger controls you and you do not vote for President Obama : Do you realize the Supreme Court will go far far far Right and all will be lost

[jrleftfoot]

06:36 PM on 03/08/2012

The headline doesn`t come close to capturing the essEnce of what Paterson said.This seems to be a recurrent problem since Arianna sold out to AOL..

[alex12345]

06:34 PM on 03/08/2012

I guess is time for revenge.

[rain33]

06:28 PM on 03/08/2012

please former governor patterson, SHUT UP because you can't handle what PRES.OBAMA has been going through for four years please he still can beat any RIGHT-WING CONTENDER who are really showing their true colors towards minorities, women, students, elderly etc so why anybody should vote for them? pres. obama accomplished more goals than any other president plus he did the shoot the kill on osama bin laden ( something that no other president wouldn't accomplish) rather starting more wars for NOTHING!

[bobbiewick]

11:20 AM on 03/09/2012

It's "Paterson," not "Patterson." And our ex-gov is absolutely correct. Despite his achievements, Obama is beatable, although not by any of the flock of turkeys currently vying for the GOP nomination.

[rckylttlmn]

06:10 PM on 03/09/2012

Enough said.

[rain33]

08:09 AM on 03/13/2012

NOT! there are too many uneducated low ill-informed folks who doesn't know nothing about how government works plus BIGOTRY is going fast that PRES.OBAMA will get RE-ELECTED AGAIN thanks to RACISM from GOP and YES DIXIE CRATS FROM THE SOUTH! wake up!

[LPK]

06:26 PM on 03/08/2012

Form the worst governor that ever existed.

[bobbiewick]

11:48 AM on 03/09/2012

He was an excellent Governor. Do you even live in NY, or do you get your information about NY politics from SNL?

[Mister C]

06:21 PM on 03/08/2012

These reporters from HuffPo still keeping up with the foolywang. As for Patterson have a darn seat! I'm telling you they're going to endorse Romney just you watch.