Love, of a sort, is in the air in Albany

Day One for Gov. David Paterson was all about hugs, high-fives and wishes of luck.

  Day Two begins the real test: Can this goodwill stretch into the negotiations between his new administration and the Legislature over the 2008 state budget, which is due March 31.

   With the backdrop of a souring national economy and falling revenues for the state government, Paterson yesterday asked lawmakers to re-think their spending plans -- a move taken in some circles as a request to lower spending targets. That could set off a whole new round of gridlock if special interests are able to persuade the Legislature to buck Paterson --  that is, if his goal is really to reduce the rate of spending increase below the 5.1 percent former Gov. Eliot Spitzer proposed in January.

   As fiscal talks get under way today, sex is still on the minds of people in Albany. It was only a week ago that Spitzer was revealed to be a patron in a high-priced prostitution ring.

   On Day Two, it was revealed -- by Paterson himself -- that he, too, had extramarital liaisons, but with a girlfriend not a prostitute.

   In an interview with a columnist for the New York Daily News, Paterson said a troubled period during his marriage several years ago included him having a girlfriend. The column quotes Michelle Paterson as knowing about the affair. 

   Paterson suggested he came forward now to extinguish the many rumors in Albany about whether he has been faithful to his wife. Paterson said the affair lasted from about 1999 to 2001. He also denied what he called a "sporadic rumor" that he had a "love child" with a woman other than his wife.

   And so goes another day in Albany.

-- Tom Precious

Comments

[disgusted again]

You've GOT to be kidding. Paterson charged a hotel bill for his tryst to the "NYS taxpayer account." Isn't there anyone out who is not a crook in public office? Is he only paying it now out of his personal account only because he announced his infidelity. Would we have paid for it had he not? Goodness gracious. What a messed up society we have. Please, please have someone who is decent run for offices in NYS governments. Hopefully it will be a young person who is not jaded into believing that just because our leaders have substandard behaviors that it is acceptable to everyone.

[disgusted again]

Nice to know that there are noncheating, non-lying, hard working, decent people out there. Guess that makes me "Puritanical" as if that were such a bad thing.

[Client the public]

Affairs are not private business. If you will cheat on your wife, you will cheat anyone, including the public.

Affairs take time away from doing your job so the public has the right to know what you doing instead of doing your job.

If Bubba Bill Clinton was not busy "doing" Monica he may have been able to bomb or catch Bin Laden, thus saving us from 911.

Don't we want politicians to do their jobs, not party?

[Client the public]

This is the blind leading the blind. Why are we not concerned that Patterson has maxed out credit cards?

He can't manage his own money, how will he be able to create a budget?

[Dave]

Apparently they've grown weary of screwing us and have moved on to screwing other things.

[Disgusted again]

How many days of "private" problems interrupting our political agenda does it take to run a government? Let's see. A news conference interrupting a business day to announce your misgivings. They don't allow that at other jobs. Now that's baloney. Move on indeed.

[Art Klein]

I fail to see how an unfortunate series of infidelities ten years ago that was caused by a marital situation have anything to do with Paterson’s ability to be Governor.

Especially since he and his wife chose professional outside counseling to reconcile their differences. With 50% of all marriages in America ending in divorce it is refreshing how this intelligent couple can show the way to reversing the trend.

I know of several stupid couples who just to refused counseling and then after the divorce realized their error, too late.

I thought the News conference and their fondess for one another and the children will probably be a poster ad for his re-election. Lets get on with New York’s business – enough of this racially driven puritan baloney.

[disgusted again]

It doesn't matter the color. It matters the act. Infidelity is what it is. Animals have multiple sex partners without reprocussion because there is lower intellect involved and they satisfy their primal urges. Higher intelligent humans have the power to make choices. We have lowered the bar and are "used" to this behavior. Outrage is needed. Remember that at the next election or chance to teach your children so they make choices that do not adversely affect others in society.

[Joe]

where is the outcry. Or is this another free pass for the black man!

[disgusted again]

There are many more people who are indeed following good choices in their lives. Not everone is cheating. Some do have values. Unfortunately just admitting fault as opposed to actually behaving in a better manner is an excuse for some to do so. Private matters do indeed impact others. If it were truly a private matter no one would have known. Would they? Persons in positions of leading whether it be in the family, school, politics, medicine ideally should be setting the bar for those who are learning. The children are watching. They are imitating. They want to please and are innocently being corrupted to ideals and behavior that should be kept private or not done at all. There is nothing private here. Everyone should stop pretending there isn't a very big problem out there. Ask any new parent. These are disgusting times and everyone has an excuse. Who will set the next example? When good people say nothing evil prevails as they used to say.

[Harold]

Re: Disgusted again. Paterson was upfront about his conduct and said he broke no laws he knew about. There are very few paragons of virtue around, much less in politics. It is always better to not have that bender, or if one does, to not drink and drive. Or to not lose a few C-notes on the horses when it could pay down bills. Paterson and his wife's extramarital affairs were private matters and not comparable to major fraud and farcical behavior. Princess Diana and Idi Amin were worlds apart. Time to use common sense.

[Disgusted again]

Hopefully it will be the attention of her children. They are the suffering ones when rough spots occur. Ask any mental health provider. Kids want their Moms to be respected and "cool" not "hot".

[Realist]

Michelle Paterson is very hot. If she ever has another rough patch in her marriage I'm sure she'll find as much attention as she wants.

[Disgusted again]

Doesn't any body have self control any more!! What ever happened to "Just say no!" I am beyond disgust and totally in shock that so many of our "leaders" have so many shortcomings in their character. We have a nation of unwed "single" mothers,educationally lacking high school graduates, rampant sexually transmitted diseases and now apparently everyone hopping into bed with each other breaking vows of marriage. Politically and privately we might as well just throw away the costly ceremonies that bind and save thousands of tax payer dollars spent on pomp and circumstance and see if we can keep our leaders at their desks doing just that...leading. Instead we have a nation of sexually starved,character challenged men and women who will take our country to who knows where. No wonder so many of the religous based zealots from other countries hate us so much. We act like weak morally challenged whimps.Whatever your religion or non belief may be, isn't anyone caring what happens to our children? Yes while it is character building to see one repair a broken marriage, wouldn't time have been better spent on other worthwhile causes like teaching the three R's. We are deluding ourselves if we continue to believe we can be morally deficient and use the repair as an excuse to be a learning tool. Wake up everyone. The kids need watching. Not mom or dad hoppin in the sack with someone else.