Wall Streets Woes Burnish Paterson's Leadership

The NY Sun finds that this week's meltdown of financial markets has helped "David Paterson has [emerge] as a governor determined to seize the moment, establish his authority, and put to rest lingering doubts that a formerly obscure lieutenant governor could flourish on the national stage." To wit, on Tuesday, after the stock market fell 510 points, he appeared on a number of TV and radio shows, implored the feds to help AIG, and stressed how the damage could hurt the state overall, all while as the Sun puts it, "he vented the frustration, anger, confusion, and fears of the average New Yorker." Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf surmised, "He's becoming the defender of the people," but added, "Crisis is what elevated David Paterson, and crisis is what will keep him in office, if handled properly