Paterson could be the right man for wronged times

    In what seemed like an instant, the career, reputation and accomplishments of Eliot L. Spitzer disappeared when he announced his resignation as governor shortly before noon Wednesday --
brought down by his own undoing in a prostitution scandal.

But a strange thing was happening in the halls of the Capitol amid all the political wreckage: a minor dose of optimism. Albany has been a fractured town on and off over the past year. It began with Spitzer taking on fellow Democrats following a fight over a selection to the state comptroller's job, then elevated during budget fights, and peaked when it was revealed his aides were using state resources, including the State Police, in a campaign to try to discredit the Legislature's top Republican.

This year promised to be increasingly ugly, as Spitzer and Democrats were poised to step up their efforts to try to take control of the Senate from the Republicans.

But Spitzer's replacement -- David Paterson -- is an old-school Albany politician -- able to joust  with political enemies during the day but mend fences  when the sun sets. There will be battles and jockeying, no doubt, especially as the new governor's political portrait makes him a classic Manhattan liberal Democrat. But Paterson seeks to avoid confrontations, and seek out conciliation and compromise.

In his first public appearance since the Spitzer scandal unfolded, Paterson later today is not likely to come out fighting as the outgoing governor did just 15 months ago, when he took office vowing to change Albany's status quo. Paterson has little time to make enemies -- with the state's economy souring, a budget deficit at more than $4.5 billion and a need to restore the trust of the executive branch of government in New York.

-- Tom Precious

Comments

[zanna vaida]

Good buy, Rob. Dopobachennya. Vsogo naykraszhogo. Best of luck. You aren't leaving tonight? Too bad.

Now, attention!!
Let's focus on a blog with a smile!

[confused]

hey Robert I don't understand. I'm not poor and I'm not old, but I'm still here!!!

Oh wait....

"The only people who live in WNY are those:
-too poor to leave
-too old to leave
-too stupid to leave"

[zanna vaida]

In life like in politics we all come and go. One way or another. Most important, what legacy we leave behind us.
Why worry about political criticism on the first political test? No matter what site Paterson takes and how he low or high he scores, another political site wouldn't be satisfied, anyway.
Good buy Spitzer, and welcome to the real world. Life goes on... Ready for a show? Capture every moment and don't take it too personaly. Ready? Smile...

[Al]

Robert...you overpaid for your diploma mill. Did you hear there is an Internet?
To say the "only people" as you decribe is the School of Cynicism. Please, take it with you.

[mayme]

It no longer matters who is governor. Upstate New York is toast. Population will continue to decline, and young people and business owners will continue to relocate. Anyone staying in Upstate is condemning themselves and their families to high taxes, corrupt and incompetent government, poor job prospects, and a boat load of disappointment.
All the years of awful Republican and Democratic leadership under Cuomo, Pataki, Damato, LaFalce, Clinton, and Spitzer, along with a state legislature that is demonstrably the worst in the country, have finally taken their toll. The goose is dead.
Stay in Buffalo at your own risk, it will not get any better. 40 years have been wasted in Buffalo watching silver bullet after silver bullet recede quietly into the past while listening to the never ending but empty promises of self serving politicians and business leaders. Once the Bills depart Buffalo will no longer be able to masquerade as anything other than a second rate decling rust belt city with poor prospects. 
Buffalo ? stick a fork in her, she is all done. Murdered by her own "leaders" and elected officials.

[Al]

Soon to be Gov. Paterson is just not going to be what the Buffalo News is editorializing....paying much attention to WNY. The Bruno-Silver nexus is now "unbreakable" in one of the most dysfunctional state governments in the nation. Who does that leave? Hmmm....I suppose we have a contingent of elected offcials in the state senate and assembly. If they would ever get up off their rears and act for the area instead of kowtowing to Bruno and Silver. Now is the time to caucus and push to be inclusive with downstate. Everytime I see a Hoyt or Volcker et al it is a reminder that they refuse to work on their job description tasks. Paterson is going to be a caretaker having to deal with a roiling staff and arrangements and burning fires of issues. Remember the 'Katrina' effect? The area's state congresspeople are the last stand as the full effects of the nation's recession comes into play here.

[Mike]

He broke the law and will face his consequences. The bigger story that should be covered is the truth behind how this relationship was uncovered. First it was a wiretap following the prostitution ring. Then it was questions on bank transactions. With millions of bank transactions reported daily, how does Spitzer's raise a flag? Was the Fed wiretap before the review of Spitzer's bank account. The media needs to put more attention on the process and make sure all our civil liberties were preserved and there was no illegal means used to catch Spitzer. That effects us all more than who is the girl? and how many times did they meet? Will the media really do it's job to find this out? Or will they continue to sell the "sizzle" instead of the steak?

[Grover Cleveland]

Paterson's voting record was far far FAR left.

[Barton Keyes]

The immediate political budget difficulties faced by Patterson are made all the the more problematic because of the tight time limits for the budget, the fact it is an election year and because his immediate executive department aides are people he did not choose. This suggests he will be faced with trying to square the circle.
And if he chooses to sinply advance Spitzer's budget priorities then he his boxing himself in for a year with someone else's plan. If he chooses to reshuffle the budget deck, he will delay passing the budget and open himself up for poltical criticism as being unable to deliver on his first big political test.
Good luck David.