by Cedric Mcclester

Created on: February 26, 2010   Last Updated: February 27, 2010

David Paterson Must Not Have Seen It Coming

Hopefully, by the time you read this article, New York State Governor David Paterson will have resigned. How many times must he shoot himself in the foot before limping off the political stage?  While he remains in office, New Yorkers are forced to play a never-ending guessing game as to when the next Paterson scandal will break.

The latest embarrassment involves his alleged intervention in a domestic abuse case involving his confident and aide, the six foot seven David Johnson and his live-in girlfriend Sherr-una Booker. 

Not only has it been suggested that Mr. Paterson intervened, but also members of his State Police security detail are alleged to have attempted to persuade Ms. Booker not to file for an order-of-protection against Mr. Johnson. 

This comes on the heels of a lucrative, albeit questionable contract that Mr. Paterson gave to a politically connected contractor to install and manage slot machines at Aqueduct Race Track. 

While Mr. Paterson is personable enough, the so-called accidental governor came into office under a cloud of mutual marital infidelities, and, past drug use in his case.  This, on the heels of former New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer’s embarassing resignation in the wake of his own marital infidelities. 

Paterson has proven himself unqualified for the position he now holds. His poll numbers are dismal. His fund raising efforts are wanting, and his relationship with the state senate and the assembly is all but non-existent. He hasn’t spoken to the Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in over a month. 

No one believes he will be able to make the April 1st deadline for the state budget. His work habits have been wanting. Mr. Paterson has shown a total lack of judgment when it came to picking confidants and filling key staff positions. 

Increasingly he has become isolated. He hasn’t even taken his father’s advice or good council according to sources. While Mr. Paterson may not have seen his present predicament coming, others have.

President Obama sent a political emissary on a mission of mercy to encourage Mr. Paterson not run for election. Paterson took this as a challenge, and launched into a whole series of advertisements which detailed the challenges he had overcome as a legally blind individual who has achieved much despite being visually impaired. 

Unfortunately, Mr. Paterson lacks what blind singer Stevie Wonder referred to as inner-vision. He is living in a world of fantasy. Seemingly he refuses to see the truth. The truth is his chances of winning election for governor are slim to none. He has proven himself to be inadequate and unworthy. 

Two of New York’s daily newspapers have called on him to resign in front page editorials. Thus far he has resisted. If he has the best interests of the people of New York in mind he would resign immediately, if not sooner. There is however, a glimmer of hope that he will, as he has now left the door open for such an occurrence. 

He has said he will go on a listening tour to hear what Democratic party leaders and officials have to say about his prospects. Mr. Paterson has complained about Saturday Night Live’s parodies of him bumping into furniture and walls. 

He has an opportunity to stop being a joke by not bumping into the wall of resistance he will face if he continues his impossible dream to legitimately become New York’s governor.

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