PrintSeptember 23, 2009
NY Governor Paterson and White House at loggerheads
Apparently, President Obama's suggestion that New York Governor David Paterson abandon his bid for reelection didn't go over too well in Albany. Ben Smith of Politico is reporting that Paterson is striking back. Smith quotes Paterson:
If you look at it from their perspective, they haven't exactly been able to govern in the first year of their administration in the way that other administrations have, where you would have, theoretically, a period in which the new administration is allowed to pass the needed pieces of legislation.
The White House shot back:
A White House official notes that Obama's record of passing legislation for which he's personally fought is, so far, perfect.
Um, no. That simply isn't true. Cap and trade may have passed the House but is dead for this year in the senate. Geithner's TARP II is dead in the water and not likely to be resurrected. And before they get too cocky, let's see how this health care debate turns out.
Regardless, Paterson backtracked some in his response to the White House:
Paterson aide Peter Kauffmann emails that Paterson wasn't demeaning Obama's record -- though the quote seems to indicate otherwise -- but rather explaining why Obama would be so focused on having Democratic governors participate in congressional redistricting processes.
Ok, now that we're all buddy buddy again, just what exactly is Obama going to do about Paterson? Just about any Republican you can name is ahead of him in the polls and he may be the most unpopular New York governor since the colonial governors when the British occupied New York city during the Revolutionary war.
Is Obama trying to clear a path for Hillary so that she can quit her job and run sometime early next year? Stranger things have happened in politics.
Hat Tip: Ed Lasky
