Dinkins, Obama Not Buying Paterson Race Claim

Governor Paterson's claims of racist mistreatment by the media seem to have fallen on deaf ears in New York and beyond.

The New York Times reports that David Dinkins, New York's first black mayor, "took issue with the Governor's comments," saying that Paterson should "definitely... get off the racist thing."

Meanwhile a vacationing President Obama distanced himself from Paterson's comments about him as spokesman Bill Burton said Monday:

In terms of media coverage of the President, he thinks that there are a lot of people who agree with him in the media, there are a lot [of] people who disagree with him in the media, and there are a lot of folks who play it straight.

NY1's political anchor Dominic Carter, who Paterson specifically called out in last Friday's interview, is also asking for an apology from the Governor for implying that he is an "Uncle Tom."

All this as a new Siena College poll says that 68% of New Yorkers would prefer someone else if Paterson does indeed decide to run next year.