Gov Love-In: Paterson, Spitzer, Pataki Trade Barbs

Spitzer, moderator Michael Howard Saul, Paterson, and Pataki

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal hosted a morning breakfast forum between Gov. Paterson and his two predecessors, former Gov.'s Eliot Spitzer and George Pataki. It was a meeting that rivaled the Yalta Conference—not for historical significance, but certainly for posture and barbs. The three once and present leaders of the Empire State were friendly with one another, discussing political decisions, regrets, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, whom they all had comments for. Some highlights of the forum:

Spitzer was asked about a line in his inaugural address in which he said that New York had slept like Rip Van Winkle during the Pataki years. He responded kindly, saying Pataki "was always a very good client when I was attorney general." Pataki quickly cut in, "There's a lot I could say," as the audience laughed.
When asked what they would do differently, Paterson said after a lull, "Appoint myself to the United States Senate." The moderator then asked Spitzer if Paterson was the right choice for lieutenant governor, to which he responded, "He was also the right choice for the United States Senate,” confirming speculation that Spitzer had planned to appoint Paterson to Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat if she had been elected president.
Pataki and Spitzer argued about the effectiveness of President Obama's economic stimulus program, which prompted Paterson to joke, “I feel like I’m at the West Side Tennis Club.”

Paterson and Spitzer both called Paladino unfit for office. Paterson said: “He transferred emails back and forth that were racist, homophobic, misogynist. These are the kinds of things we don’t need in politics. I never heard an apology. I never heard accountability.” Pataki was wary about Paladino, who once called him a "degenerate idiot." He cautiously said he'd support him, but only if Paladino can “turn anger into a positive agenda of change” and demonstrate “the demeanor and character we want for a governor.” “It comes down to who is going to be a better leader for the state. I expect that it will be him, but I’m not sure yet,” Pataki said.

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By Ben Yakas in News on September 17, 2010 2:38 PM

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cleanupnynow

So Eliot Spitzer insists that David Paterson was the correct choice for Lt. Guv.

What in the world is Eliot Spitzer smoking.

The fact is that David Paterson was never up to the job of governing. Paterson and his crew’s incompetence and wanton ways is evident in the “The Democratic Conference: Organizational and Operational Structure Report”, a report detailing how Paterson’s Senate Minority Office was managed, or more precisely mismanaged, when he was Senate Minority Leader.

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

This report heavily criticized Paterson’s office for its wanton PATRONAGE, LACK OF LEADERSHIP, INDECISIVENESS and INFIGHTING, set against a backdrop of general CHAOS – in other words the office was a ZOO. Those interviewed in the report indicated that its chief of staff the disorganized and inept Michael Jones-Bey had no management skills, would get DRUNK with staff, often coming in the office with a HANGOVER, and should be fired.

Amazingly, for running such a DYSFUNCTIONAL CHAOTIC office, the disorganized and hugely inept Michael Jones-Bey was picked by David Paterson to mismanage the Division of Minority and Women-Owned Business Development (MWBE) at Empire State Development Corporation.

Now that’s the Paterson Way – being rewarded for your incompetence.

New Yorkers do not deserve to punished any further by David Paterson’s presence any longer

David Paterson needs to RESIGN NOW.

John L

The Three Stooges.

"'I expect that it will be him, but I’m not sure yet,' Pataki said"

What he means to say is that he's still negotiating his fee for endorsing Paladino. Usually it's a flat fee but given that Paladino called him a "degenerate idiot" he's going to have to pay Pataki a little extra now.