I heard this morning on talk radio Obama is telling Gov.Patterson NOT to run for Gov. in NY

[bigdarryl]

Any truth to this.Wouldn't surprise me if true with there(White House) throwing African Americans under the bus as of late

[Captain Hilts]

1. He's been a lousy governor. But I don't like the WH getting involved. nt

[Craftsman]

2. It's true

[Bicoastal]

3. Jesus. And if Patterson were white, it'd be the same story from conservatives.

Obama truly has been shouldered with a burden unique among recent Presidents.

And as someone who lives in NY, I can tell you firsthand that Patterson is a horrible, incompetent Governor.

[connecticut yankee]

4. But Patterson says

he doesn't care what the President wants. He's going to run anyway.

The reason the White House doesn't want Patterson to run is that they're afraid a Republican win will carry over into the Senatorial and House elections.

[saltpoint]

5. More than one report suggests this recommendation was made and to

each of the posts about it here and elsewhere, I'm saying, Good.

Paterson is not only vulnerable politically himself, there is the fear that his being at the top of the state ballot would drag down many Congressional and other down-ballot Democrats in the general.

The White House has a right to fight for as strong a majority in the legislative chambers as can possibly be had. Paterson is a political liaibility, despite his very considerable personal gifts. His approval ratings are in the toilet. The White House has a vested interest in passing more legislation over the next 7 or so years and they need plenty of Democrats to do it.

This is not a racially motivated move by the White House. It's a political move. And it's a very good one.

[Captain Hilts]

16. NY's - and US's - Big Problem is financial and Cuomo has demonstrated he can handle that. nt

[Raineyb]

27. Based on what? What does the attorney general of the state have to do with

setting the state budget? Nothing!

Back Cuomo all you want but your reasoning should at least make some kind of sense.

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. Shouldn't a states voters be deciding this?

[saltpoint]

7. They will, ultimately, but they have in this case already,

in that Paterson's approval ratings are dismal.

He is un-electable and the White House, very understandably, is trying to preserve the blue stronghold in the Empire State.

I'd call it smart politics.

My hunch is that if you ask Democratic county org chairs how their members and participants feel about the Governor, they'd say Paterson is well-liked personally but nevertheless a political liability.

If Andrew Cuomo is interested in the position, IMO it's his to lose.

From afar, I also want to see several more nails hammered into the coffin of Rudy Giuliani.

[OwnedByFerrets]

22. We will have to agree to disagree on this. I don't believe its ANY

presidents place to be making statements on who should or shouldn't "run" for office.

[saltpoint]

32. In an ideal democracy a sturdy and effective and comprehensive

scaffolding would cover any president so as to ensure that he or she has regional, state, and county support for legislative initiatives.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. The same airwaves that broadcast Armstrong's moon landing and say, John Kennedy's Inaugural, also permits use by propagandists like Beck and Limbaugh and others.

One rap against Jimmy Carter is that he did not build the Democratic Party in the time he had in office. Then when those regional and state and county Democratic organizations were needed to keep him in contention against a dingbat wingnut like Reagan, there wasn't anybody around.

I think one of the blessings and curses of politics is that power will be used, and we can only hope that our people use it better and more wisely than the other side.

I think another question regarding Paterson is why someone of his obvious brains and range did not capitalize on his profile and gifts and create a logical rationale for his election. For reasons that are not clear to me at least, he did not do this. He's the governor of New York, but his approval ratings are extraordinarily low.

We have yet to hear formally from Andrew Cuomo, but it's my best hunch that if Cuomo wants the governor's job, it is his to lose.

[robo50]

8. They do decide, and they will. But just because Obama is

President, that doesn't mean he can't advise others what might be best to do.

Or did the Republicans take that power away from a sitting President? I must have missed that.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

9. Paterson didn't have a snowballs chance in NY before President Obama said anything.

He has been a lousy Gov. from day 1.

[dionysus]

15. hmm, i wonder why obama suggested he not run. (because he'd lose bad and drag down the ticket)

there's people on here who would pitch a fit if obama tied his right shoe before his left shoe.

"LOOK! HE SOLD US OUT11!!11!!11!!"

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. Ditto! This o.p. is so blatantly obvious, and has been for a while now. Do a search...

in your spare time. I agree with the president 100% on this one, and why Paterson can't see the writing on the wall, I'll never understand.

[saltpoint]

10. So far the President has not phoned me up for counsel on this, ladies and

gentlemen.

Should he call, however, I will suggest that he offer Gov. Paterson an impressive job, since Paterson is after all an impressive and gifted guy. Give him something to do that's worth doing in the administration.

But the path is being cleared for a strengthening of the New York Congressional delegation, IMO, and the suggestion by the White House that Paterson consider stepping aside is not without precedent in politics at many levels and suggest to me that the President's political team is proactive and clear-headed and interested in victory.

Paterson's defiant response is great theater but he must know, even as he makes his valiant stand, that the climb will be steep and that if Andrew Cuomo wants that job, the job is Cuomo's.

[Historic NY]

11. its alway an un-named source I'm calling it Operation Chaos BS.

[dionysus]

12. dude, another racist post from you. patterson will lose in a landslide. tool.

you have a history of hit and run crap like this.

[cali]

13. yes, yes, Obama's really a racist.

[AspenRose]

14. Obama has a deep-seated hatred of black people! Beck was WRONG!

:wow:


:sarcasm:

[WI_DEM]

17. No it's politics. He has cruddy approval and re-elect ratings.

[rvablue]

18. Can't even believe some of the crap that's being posted on here as of late.

This OP might take the cake, though.

[dionysus]

20. he does this crap all the time, no doubt thinking it is clever.

[Jennicut]

19. Why yes, Obama is racist against himself.

This is the stupidest post ever.
Really, you can post that you have issues with his interfering but to repeat Michael Steele's talking points is bad, real bad.
Patterson has been a crappy governor so far and will probably loose his reelection. Hence, we can look forward to Guliani as gov for NY or we could have someone like Andrew Cuomo run on the Dem side and at least have a chance.

[Yavin4]

21. For Non-NYers

What you do not understand is that NY politics is ALL about petty egos and sore losers. Candidates that lose primaries love to spoil the general election for the nominee. This is how Bloomberg won the mayoral election in 2001. Freddy Ferrer spoiled the general election for Mark Green.

Governor Paterson has zero chance of winning the general election, and the odds of him winning the primary are not so great as well. His only chance is to run a scorched earth campaign against Cuomo which will only weaken Cuomo in the general election. Obama is trying to head off a Republican resurgence in NY.

[Raineyb]

28. Mark Greene did a pretty good job of spoiling it for himself.

There was some controversy over a rather nasty mailer put out before the postponed primary if I remember correctly.

[timber84]

23. Why is it that all of your posts have zero recommendations?

And why are each and everyone 'suspect'?

[Indigent]

24. That's false. Here's a recommended thread by that member

This one has two as we speak: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8618459

[timber84]

26. Ha!

Me thinks thou doth protest too much.

[dionysus]

30. ROFL

"YOU'RE WRONG.... HERE'S ONE WITH 2 RECS.....HA!!!11!!!"

whoa dude, we have been pwned!

:spray:

[sabbat hunter]

25. It has nothing to do with

Governor Patterson being African American, it has to do with him being a terrible governor.

I applaud President Obama for doing this, and hope that Gov Patterson, will come around and not run for re-election.

[butterfly77]

29. I don't think that this has nothing to do with race..

they have been doing polls on Patterson all summer stating that he is down in the polls in with all sectors of the population. I think he shouldn't run either.

I don't want Ghouliani to win the election if he does he will be the one doing the redistricting. Even if Patterson wasn't down in the polls I still think that Cuomo would be a better choice.

I want to see him and Ghouliani debate. Cuomo seems like he would tear Ghouliani up.

[VMI Dem]

31. Whats with you? I can't quite get a handle on what your angle is.