Governor Paterson Hits Bottom in Marist Poll

A new Marist poll has some bad news for Governor Paterson: His approval rating has dropped 20 points in since Marist's late January poll. Marist also notes: "In fact, Governor Paterson’s approval rating is the lowest approval rating a New York State governor has received in the Marist Poll’s nearly thirty year history of statewide surveys." And even among registered Democrats, only 30% think he's doing an above average job (65% disagree—heck, even elected Democrats who think he's a nice human being are upset). Still, " 77% of New Yorkers believe he is working hard as governor, and 62% say Paterson understands the problems of New Yorkers." Marist's pollster Lee Miringoff told CityRoom, "You’re dealing with a bad economy, low scores on his handling of the budget, a messy Senate pick, a lot of TV ads about cutbacks, and a drop in his leadership numbers such that there’s a lot of erosion at the core, not just at the edges." As for hypothetical 2010 matchups, Rudy Giuliani would beat him, while Andrew Cuomo would beat Giuliani.

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By Jen Chung in News on March 3, 2009 6:14 PM

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NannyState

Uh oh, now Paterson will have to levy a poll tax.

unregistered_wiseguy

Paterson in NY. Arnold in CA. Obama in the Oval Office. Pelosi in the House. Reid in the Senate.

As a conservative let me just say to all you liberals, "We told you so!"

Spirit of 76

Psst. Here's a secret you may not know. Arnold's a Republican. And actually, I'm happy about all except Paterson, but then again nobody voted him in. If a lieutenant governor like Paterson could screw up a state so badly when the top dog steps down, it makes me damn glad Palin isn't next in line for the White House. And it sure as hell beats the "leadership" we had in DC the last eight years.

unregistered_wiseguy

Psst. Here's a secret you may not know. Arnold's a Republican, but he's not a conservative. California is a financial disaster because he caved in to the Legislature and went along with liberal economics.

Liberal economics don't solve problems. They never have. They never will.

starrygordon

Dutifully echoing the media as usual. Still mad about poor little Caroline and her pony.

Not Your Sweetie

Right on the money, starrygordon. This is all the Kennedy revenge. That guy never forgave Carter for winning the primary in 1980 either. Remember this headline?

“An apoplectic Kennedy Family” goes after Paterson"

If he'd put half of that energy in a healthcare bill, we'd have universal healthcare by now.

Spirit of 76

Riiight. The Kennedys control the Times, the Post, the Daily News, the Marist and the Quinnipiac polling organizations, all of which apparently have "fabricated" bad news about Paterson according to you and starrygordon. I think I'm going to take Obama's advice and buy some stock, maybe in Alcoa or Reynolds. You guys must really be going through a lot of aluminum foil for your hats.

Spirit of 76

Is that you, O'Byrne? Name one thing that he has done right in almost a year in office. Just one.

starrygordon

I like Gillibrand. In any case he rejected Kennedy in spite of the foofarrah, which was the important thing.

Generally, I don't see what you're complaining about. Thus far every negative thing I've seen about Paterson has been either an invention of the media or the inflation of an insignificant story, eagerly bought by suckers. I guess you could say that he failed to charm the media as every governor is supposed to do, but once the Kennedy fandango started he had no choice. I suppose in the future he may be called upon to fall on his sword like a good soldier in order to put Cuomo in place to fend off the ghastly Giuliani, for which we will have the Kennedys to thank. And the aforesaid suckers.

Spirit of 76

So then you can't name a single thing he did right, except that you personally "like Gillibrand." Sounds to me like you're the one who has a chip on your shoulder, that as long as it wasn't Kennedy, then everything is hunky dory with Paterson.

The best thing about this "media fabrication," as you term it despite it coming from polls, is that that he's nowhere near bottom. He still has 26 more points to go, and I'm sure he'll lose a few more, even though there will always be people like you who like him, just like there were always some stalwarts who still clung to Dubya to the bitter end.

blablanyc

I bet he didn't see it coming.

whitecastlerock

42% of those who didn't vote for him think he is a cock. 51% of those who didn't vote for him think he is a complete moron. 7% of the voters who did not vote for him want leave the state. Yet 100% of the voters didn't vote for this fucking asshole but still have to put up with his bullshit because Eliot Spitzer couldn't keep his cock in his pants... Democrat, Republican, they all fucking suck