NY Governor Blames Calls for Him to Step Aside on Race, Before Backing Off
EmailABC News' Aaron Katersky reports: New York Governor David Paterson suggested Friday his decreasing popularity is due to race.
In a radio interview with New York Daily News columnist Errol Louis, Paterson said "We're not in the post-racial period."
Polls in this state have showed Paterson trailing democratic rival Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general and son of former governor Mario Cuomo. Worried about a potentially crippling primary some Democrats have urged Paterson to stay out of the next governor's race.
"The whole idea is to get me not to run in the primary," he said. “My feeling is it’s being orchestrated, it’s a game, and people who pay attention know that,” he said. “We have a media that doesn’t report the news. We have a media that wants to make the news." Paterson went on to say there are not enough "black" media outlets to counteract the negative press.
Paterson suggested Deval Patrick, governor of Massachusetts and the nation's only other black governor, was suffering from similar feelings.
"The reality is the next victim on the list, and you can see it coming, is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than trying to reform a health care system."
Later, in a statement, Paterson appeared to soften his stance.
"During a radio interview this morning, I made some observations about the tone of some of the recent negative media coverage.
"At no point did I claim that this media piling-on effect was due to race – elected officials of all races get piled on by the media all the time; that is the nature of our business. What I did point out was that certain media outlets have engaged in coverage that exploits racial stereotypes.
"That's not only unfair – it's wrong – and it sends an objectionable message. I will not shy away from speaking honestly about prejudices, some subtle and some not, nor will I fail to point out that we have a long way to go to achieve a truly post-racial society."
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Yeah, obama and his minions have opened the Race Card Manufacturing Company. I don’t know how they’ll keep up with the demand…
Looking at his history, he does spend a lot of time whining about discrimination (It’s because he’s black or “blind” or whatever) when he fails at anything. And what was that about him firing a white photographer for being white? Of course, the case was dismissed.
It appears that the only way to achieve the “post-racial society” as they perceive it is the same as has been done in the past: Reverse and repress to discriminate against the previously “dominant” race. Make it socially acceptable.
And it is.
Posted by: Eyes Open | August 21, 2009, 6:55 pm 6:55 pm
He is one of the most useless governors in the nation and to blame race for his own inefficiencies and inadequacies is beyond the pale. NY needs better, and this guy is only helping to hold it back. Yeah, they will use anything, but especially race to cover their own shortcomings and failures, and time for NYorkers to see the light.
Posted by: Karen | August 21, 2009, 7:54 pm 7:54 pm
Paterson thinks Pres. Obama is in trouble because he’s black? Duh? Didn’t a majority of white people vote for him?
The President is in trouble because he wants to dismantle our healthcare system and give us something no one really undertands, something he himself can’t articulate.
The government could easily deal with the millions who don’t have insurance. They could set up some kind of program to help people who truly can’t get insurance because of pre-existing conditions or extreme poverty. That would help a lot.
Also, a few tweaks in the system could bring down costs – like tort reform.
Our healthcare system is like a 40 year old house that’s never had any renovation. We need a room addition, maybe, or some re-decorating. But we don’t need to tear down the entire house and start over, especially when most people are pretty happy with the house as it is.
President Obama is not going to be voted out of office because he’s black. He’s going to be a one-term president because he’s a far left idealogue in a center-right nation. It has nothing at all to do with race.
Posted by: JB, St. Louis | August 21, 2009, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm
“nor will I fail to point out that we have a long way to go to achieve a truly post-racial society.”
Yes, Governor Paterson, we do have a long way to go – as long as blacks like you continue to play the race card rather than face up to your own failures.
Posted by: Janet | August 21, 2009, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm
When you run out of excuses and alibi’s there is always the empty race card… Patterson just lost the election… Watch and learn Barack…
Posted by: Huh? | August 21, 2009, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
I live in New York. Patterson is losing because he is an idiot ahs nothing to do with race. He just gave every welfare recipient $200 for every child 3-17 for “school supplies” . Of course the money was spent on anything but school supplies. This was announced on August 7 and the money was already going into these people accounts and the tax payers were not geiven any notice or voice in this we just have to work and pay for it. Can not wait to get this idiot out of office.
Posted by: Smiley | August 21, 2009, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm
Gov. Patterson is not losing because of race! He’s losing because he has no clue what he’s doing! As a black woman who lives in NYS, I just shake my head….
Posted by: Try the truth | August 22, 2009, 12:19 am 12:19 am
Eventhough I believe we all hold racial prejudices whether black or white,I strongly reject race as a cause of Patterson’s decline in polls. He did not handle the Kennedy’s issue properly. That was the beginning of his downfall. Do not know much about Deval and President Obama is doing a wonderful job. The Recession as far as am concerned is over. Jobs will come later. The focus know will be controlling the defecits but it must be timed properly so as not to arrest the recovery. Obama poll numbers are down because of Democrats abandoning him. I sure wished he didnt have all these problems facing him when he came into power. I do not think there is any American President that has had such enormous challenges as soon as he had taken office. I wish him the best. He deserves the best of luck.
Posted by: vuzous | August 22, 2009, 12:27 am 12:27 am
Let me first say I am an African American. I don’t live in NY so I haven’t had the opportunity to experience the impacts of Gov. Paterson’s decisions. As for President Obama. This man has the weight of the country on his shoulders. His opponents will never agree with any policy he creates. He could find the cure for cancer and AIDS and his opponents would still find a problem. His opponents are right wing Republicans and alot of racist white America.
Obama inherited his problems. He’s the first President to tackle Healthcare reform. Kudos. There is a lot of ignorance out there about the reform. Don’t rely on what people tell you. Go to the experts for your answers, not people who misinterpret the the legislation or twist it around to make it appear like a bad idea.
Posted by: Rahsaan | August 22, 2009, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm
When the President of the United States is black it’s a little tough to claim that the black man is being held back.
Posted by: Oonogil | August 23, 2009, 12:22 am 12:22 am