Report: Paterson Wasn't Spitzer's 1st, 2nd Or 3rd Choice

The Post has a ball while reporting on how Eliot Spitzer came to choose David Paterson as his running mate: Apparently Spitzer's aides were warned that Paterson was a "hard partier," a reference to Paterson's "extramarital dalliances, past drug use and penchant for late-night clubbing. But Spitzer's people didn't get the message." An aide tells the Post, "We didn't know what 'hard partying' even meant. Our idea of fun is to go exercise. The thinking was, 'He enjoys partying -- that's nice!'" HA!

What else? Well, Paterson's own father and the rest of the Gang of Four were pushing Spitzer to name Leecia Eve as his running mate, but another former Spitzer staffer said the Steamroller "was just nuts that anyone would force him to go in a certain direction. He instantaneously said no to her." And other minority women who got Spitzer's lieutenant governor pitch (you know, to "balance the ticket") turned him down.

Paterson ended up suggesting, "Why not me?" during a meeting with Spitzer. Though Spitzer was reportedly shocked, given Paterson's dad's support of Eve, on paper Paterson seemed to complement Spitzer. But his aides never really vetted him, "We didn't dig into his work ethic -- does he have a record of seeing an issue through to completion? We thought that he had risen through the ranks. We assumed he had the same background as we did -- you work your ass off," only to find Paterson rarely around. An aide said, "We got the sense that you had two David Patersons -- one was sharp and insightful, and then there was the distracted David who missed meetings and wasn't contributing."

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By Jen Chung in News on March 7, 2010 4:00 PM

Comments [rss]

farleft

Pretty sure Spitzer knew exactly what hard partying was.

The Edge

Of course hardly any of you knew who the fuck he was until Spitzer got shitcanned.

xgeyiph772

This retard wouldn't be anyone's 101st choice. When the hell is he going to step aside and let a compitent, intelligent person take the reins of our once proud state?

longacre

Even the Harlem Clubhouse, of which Paterson's own father is a member, did not want Spitzer to pick Paterson.

cleanupnynow

It is beyond belief that Eliot Spitzer put David Paterson on his ticket.

It was a known fact that the hard partying David Paterson was a mess in his private life – engaging in extramarital dalliances, past drug use and a penchant for late-night clubbing. Unfortunately, this behavior did not end when David Paterson entered the office.

“The Democratic Conference: Organizational and Operational Structure Report” is an eyewitness account of Paterson’s lack of managerial and leadership ability. This report, put forth by Paterson’s own Democratic Party, heavily criticized Paterson’s leadership as Senate minority leader.

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM110_demreportfinal.html

This report indicates that Paterson’s Senate Minority office, headed by former Paterson chief of staff and childhood friend Michael Jones-Bey, was criticized for patronage, lack of leadership, indecisiveness and infighting, set against a backdrop of general chaos – in other words the office was a zoo. Now doesn’t this chaos sound like his current dysfunctional administration?

Not surprisingly, for running such a dysfunctional chaotic office, Mr. Jones-Bey was hand picked by David Paterson to head the Division of Minority & Women Owned Business Development (DMWBD) at New York State’s Empire State Development Corporation. Now that’s the Patterson way - being rewarded for your incompetence.