Will New York’s Governor Listen To The President?

It’s highly unusual for a president to ask a governor of the same party not to run, but that’s what’s going on as President Obama is suggesting that New York Governor David Paterson step aside.

President Obama has sent a request to Gov. David A. Paterson that he withdraw from the New York governor’s race, fearing that Mr. Paterson cannot recover from his dismal political standing, according to two senior administration officials and a New York Democratic operative with direct knowledge of the situation.

The decision to ask Mr. Paterson to step aside was proposed by political advisers to Mr. Obama, but approved by the president himself, one of the administration officials said.

Trouble between the president and the governor began with Paterson’s choice to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.

White House officials had received assurances from Mr. Paterson that he would not pick Kirsten E. Gillibrand, then a little-known Democratic congresswoman from a heavily Republican district outside of Albany, according to a prominent Democrat who discussed the matter with a senior White House official.

The White House and Democratic House leaders were concerned that her sudden departure from the House would give Republicans a prime opportunity to reclaim the seat.

[…]

Making matters worse, the governor also publicly snubbed Caroline Kennedy, a close personal friend and ally of Mr. Obama’s, who announced in December her wish to be chosen as Mrs. Clinton’s replacement, but then withdrew her name from consideration in January, citing personal reasons.

It also didn’t help that Paterson suggested recently that criticism of his tenure was motivated by race and that Obama would face similar attacks. Andrew Cuomo, New York’s Attorney General and a likely gubernatorial contender, is the beneficiary of the president’s stance on Paterson.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.