Culling the Democratic Herd of Paterson, the Slow Zebra

I live in Gillibrand's former district (20th), and I had little hope for her as a Senator when Patterson appointed her.  But since taking office she's been on the good side of every single issue, and has turned into one of the more progressive Senators in Washington.  She is a lot better than Hillary, and she'll beat Giuliani if he tries to run.

It's a very interesting move, including the timing and the incredibly public and deliberate "leak" - which got the lead story in the NYT. Power move to the hoop, not an outside jump shot.

But it's also fascinating that the White House cleared the primary field for Gillibrand, finally chasing the (eminently qualified, in my view) Rep. Carolyn Maloney over the summer. This was more of a finesse play at the end.

Given that, I think it's unlikely that this is about payback for the Kennedys (as delicious as it might seem to Kennedy fans) as a cold political decision that 1. Paterson can't win and that 2. his loss would batter Dems in Congressional races down the ballot.

I don't think Giuliani was ever going to run for Governor - Albany is not a great fit for that personality. But Paterson's horrendous poll numbers coiuld help the GOP resurgence in NY by building a next generation of new leaders winning office - ironically, a repeat of Cuomo's father's loss to George Pataki back in 90s.

And here's where the Clinton rear-view mirror comes in: having blue state NY in Republican hands was no picnic for the Clinton White House in the 90s for many reasons. No doubt, Obama wants to avoid that - and land a solid ally (in Andrew Cuomo) in Albany for the duration.

I mentioned this in a diary at Kos today (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/20/784501/-Michael-Steele-attacks-O...).

Basically, during Face the Nation, Steele had the nerve to insinuate that Obama was acting out of racial bias, somehow, by urging Patterson (one of two African-American governors) to drop out, while not doing the same to Jon Corzine.

You can't make this stuff up.

Paterson is really getting to be a trip. Incidentally, have any of you read this? It should give everyone a good sense of why Obama did what he did, and why it's important in this context.

(Side-note: I am not a fan of Andrew Cuomo by any stretch of the imagination, but compared to the bullshit David Paterson's been putting us through, even I have to jump on the Cuomo bandwagon!)

Oh, and it's good to have you doing some analysis for this side of the Americas, Al. we all know how critical the coup in Hounduras has been for all of the Americas (and how excellent your reporting has been).

When I heard the news, my first thought was 'payback's a bitch'.  I suspect few political decisions are based on a single factor, but I certainly hope Patterson's horrendous treatment of Carolyn added some weight.  

Jim, as far as Steele is concerned, who takes him seriously?  I wasn't surprised at all at his comments.  Most in 'the black community' consider him an Uncle Tom baffoon and I suspect many (most) others have little respect for him.   Ultimately, the media will 'examine' ('m in a generous mood tonight) the implications of an AA not supporting another AA - after all, we're an monogamous group (snark) - but Rev Sharpton's initial comments speak volumes.  He said that he wanted what was best for the residents of NY.  Will be interesting to hear what Rangel has to say.

Looking at that photo that heads your post, Al, sure, Paterson might be one of the NY zebras...but so is Cuomo. That lion sitting watching the dinners laid out before him...who'd have the election in a minute if he desired, is....Bill Clinton, the next Dem Gov of NY. No, wait--it'd be so much more satisfying if he ran ONLY on the Working Families line. He'd stiil win, in the current environment of frustration here in NY. And so would any candidate the WF party put up for House and Senate seats in NY. It'd be the most satisfying,fun party lever to pulll in years!

I love my comments section.

Tom, I wouldn't be so sure that Guiliani wouldn't run if Paterson stays in and Cuomo stays out.  Ambition knew no bounds with that guy -- he chewed carpets and wore out a generation of Wall Street reporters when he was U.S. Attorney, so determined was he to keep the media agitated as he nailed financial coonskins to the wall and followed the Tom Dewey path to political power in New York.  And what is the guy now, after his '08 implosion?  Satisfied being the occasional pundit on Fox?  Having Paterson for lunch -- no, having him for a snack -- if Andrew kept playing Hamlet would be irresisitible...

Michael Steele may not be off the chain, but he sure is in the house.

Al, I don't know if it's the moderation (it probably is), but the comment section here is great.  Have you considered an occasional open thread?  Or do you think that would dilute the substance too much?

Jny, and others, I also have never been an Andrew Cuomo fan, but am pretty much in the school of "anyone but Patterson."  Unfortunately, Rudy is my own personal nightmare.  The idea of Rudy with more executive power would scare the bejeezus out of me.

Whatever Obama can do to ensure that we have a half-decent Democratic candidate is fine with me.  Maybe he can offer Patterson an ambassadorship somewhere?

...Oh my!

I don't think we're in Kansas, Toto.

Thanks, Jny!

I'm a Brooklynite, a registered Democrat who often pulls the Working Families Party lever in general elections.  I *want* to vote against Paterson in a party primary, want a strong and competent Democrat to bump off Paterson.  Even if that Democrat's Machiavelli's first pupil, Andrew Cuomo.

Paterson's biggest accomplishment as governor is, imho, creating an opening for Rudy Giuliani to run for Governor.  As someone's who's watched the Rockefeller drug laws imprison first-time offenders from the cities, disenfranchise them while imprisoned, and *count* these prisoners as a part of an upstate population when creating state senate districts, I want Paterson out of office.

"the title of Senator from New York with previous titans named Burr, Van Buren, Seward, Fish, Wagner, Dulles, Lehman, Javits, Kennedy, Moynihan and Clinton."

You left off an important one,  RFK's replacement, Charles  Goodell.  I was a kid in upstate NY when he became a senator and recall the groan that went up in my parents' circle when he was appointed: as a Congressman, he had a reputation as a hack.  However, almost immediately he became one of the best members of the Senate on the Vietnam War, and was reliable on a host of other issues.  The wikipedia entry for him fits with (and fills out) my recollection of him.  We would be very lucky if Gillebrand follows in his path, as Jim suggests in the first comment above.

Not really on this topic, but thought it might interest Fieldhands...

The former CEO of Republic Windows has been arrested and being held on $10 million bond.  It's likely this crook would've gotten away with it without the organized sit-in that took place last year.

The power of the people wins once again.  Perhaps some strategic actions in this regard could be employed against some health insurance CEO/racketeers?  Another example of why Al's lessons on Organizing are so critical.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/21/784807/-Breaking:-Manuel-Zelaya-Returns-to-Honduras-(Unconfirmed)

Radio Globo is reporting that President Manual Zelaya is back in Honduras and the resistance is calling on its members to congregate in front of the United Nations offices in Tegucigalpa. According to the radio station, Zelaya will be speaking shortly. TeleSur says it has confirmed the radio station's account.

Radio Globo is now reporting that Roberto Micheletti, leader of the de facto regime, has abandoned the country. This is not confirmed.

Update 1: TeleSur has just shown footage of Hugo Chavez speaking in a classroom in Venezuela, congratulating Manuel Zelaya on his return.

Update 2: Patricia Rodas, President Zelaya's foreign minister, is confirming the news on TeleSur.

Update 3: Resistance is calling on all members throughout Honduras to converge on Tegucigalpa.

They've been trying for months to get Paterson to do the honorable thing, but instead -- and with help from Charles Rangel -- is trying to pretend he's being victimized by anti-black racists.  You know, like Al Sharpton?

The appearance of Obama, along with Al Sharpton and pretty much every other prominent New York African-American not named "Charles Rangel", shuts down this line of attack rather nicely.  (It helps that while Obama's approval ratings among NY AAs are in the mid-90s, NY AAs hate Paterson as much as non-AAs do.)

Bottom line:  Paterson's attempt to hold the NYS Democratic Party hostage has just been cut off at the knees.