New York Flip: Governor Paterson Pulls The Plug On Election Bid

Less than a week after officially and defiantly tossing his hat into the ring– and a few days after I made a case for his election in NJP–New York’s beleaguered Governor David Paterson has pulled the plug on his own campaign. Apparently being implicated in helping to conceal a domestic abuse allegation against one of his top aides proved too much for the Governor whose short term has been bombarded with a blizzard of bad news. So while New York’s never-ending February snowstorm refused to give up, Paterson did just that.

With his wife Michelle by his side, the Governor called it quits in a brief press conference in his Manhattan office shortly after three o’clock Friday afternoon. Attributing his decision to political realism, Paterson said, “Every decision I make focuses on one question: are we doing what’s best for the people of the state of New York?” He acknowledged his campaign was posing too many distractions in a difficult time, but vowed to finish out his term. “There are 308 days left in my term. I will use every one of them to fight for the people of New York.”

Before making the statement everyone had expected, the Governor rattled off a list of his hard-won accomplishments: proposing and signing landmark legislation that increased health care, pensions and minority owned businesses as well as eradicating the state’s harsh and ineffectual “Rockefeller” drug laws.

“I tried to serve with integrity,” Paterson said, adding he welcomes the investigation he actually asked Attorney general Andrew Cuomo– his one-time potential primary rival–to initiate surrounding his alleged involvement in the domestic abuse scandal of his aide David Johnson. Rumors have the Governor pressuring Johnson’s girlfriend to drop criminal charges against his long time aide. Paterson never specifically addressed the allegations, but emphatically stated: “I have never abused my office. Not now. Not ever.”

I was, as you know, cheering for Paterson. I thought a guy who never asked for the gig, who took the helm after his predecessor Eliot Spitzer was forced to resign in disgrace, deserved a shot. And for a time, most New Yorkers shared that sentiment. But coping with the worst economy in decades,handling ( or mishandling) an unruly and immature state legislature and botching the Hillary Clinton senate seat appointment added up to a stacked deck against this affable and seasoned politician who never expected to be governor. Maybe he just wasn’t cut out for the job. Still, had things played out differently, he might have turned things around and proved the naysayers wrong. Of course winning politicians don’t bank on wouldas and couldas. Such paltry spoils are left for the losers’ bitter campaign souvenirs.

Of course, there’s always history. It may be kinder to this “accidental” governor than the press and pundits have been. “I hope history will remember I fought the good fight. And put the people first.,” Paterson said.

Now the field is clear for the popular Andrew Cuomo, the scion of a powerful New York political family,to trounce Republican candidate Rick Lazio in November. And if he clears Paterson in his investigation, maybe he’ll find a suitable post for his soon to be ex-boss.

Editor’s Note: Please follow Amy Beth Arkawy on Twitter.

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