New York. Gov. David Paterson infuriated Team Obama Friday by suggesting on a radio show that the president would be the next "victim" of a racially biased news media – based on an interview Paterson had with a black reporter, Dominic Carter of the local cable news channel NY1. Fred Dicker and Maggie Haberman reported in the New York Post on Sunday:
President Obama's aides were so furious that Gov. Paterson dragged him into a rant about racism that they sent a message sharply criticizing the governor's comments just hours after he made them, The Post has learned.
Aides to Obama were angered by Paterson's tirade on liberal talk-radio station WWRL on Friday, sources said.
Paterson blamed his political woes on racially slanted coverage and predicted the president would be the next "victim" of biased media.
Obama's team delivered a pointed message to Paterson within hours of the morning broadcast, multiple sources said.
It came in a call from White House political director Patrick Gaspard, who has deep ties to the New York political scene, to Larry Schwartz, the governor's first deputy secretary.
Gaspard wanted to know "why [Paterson] was dragging the president into" his troubles, said one source.
You can see why Obama wouldn’t want to be seen as headed into the political quicksand like Paterson, whose approval ratings have dipped as low as 18 percent. Danny Hakim and Raymond Hernandez reported in the New York Times that Paterson sees racism behind many critics and satirists:
His anger appeared to be triggered when Mr. Louis referred to a television interview of the Rev. Al Sharpton conducted by Dominic Carter on NY1 on Thursday. In the interview, Mr. Sharpton was asked about Mr. Paterson’s late-night socializing at a Manhattan nightclub, Taj, in July.
Mr. Paterson suggested that Mr. Carter, who is black, was playing to white critics of African-American politicians by bringing up the subject. He also said that media outlets had mischaracterized what happened there. He said that he had not been out past midnight, as had been reported.
The governor suggested that it was part of a pattern of negative media coverage about him.
"We don’t have the kind of forces in the community that we had before," he said. "In other words, our black media outlets, save your program and a few others, are the only ways we have access, and even our own reporters from our own community buy the public line, which is, ‘We’re going to get rid of David Paterson.’ "
"The reality is that the next victim on the list is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than try to reform a health care system" that, he said, constitutes 10 percent of the gross domestic product. It is "only because he’s trying to make change," Mr. Paterson said.
The governor declined to be interviewed by The New York Times about his remarks. But several people who had spoken to him said that he and his aides saw racial overtones in everything from the searing depictions of him on "Saturday Night Live" to small turns of phrase, like New York magazine’s reference to his freewheeling style as "jazz government."
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Perhaps Mr. Paterson...
August 24, 2009 - 05:59 ET by heldmywIs mistaken.
Like Obama, he may just not be very good at his job, hence the declining poll numbers.
To hide behind statements of institutionalized racism smacks of a poor character, weak will, and cowardice.
To hide behind statements
August 24, 2009 - 06:09 ET by motherbeltTo hide behind statements of institutionalized racism smacks of a poor character, weak will, and cowardice.
Uh, yeah....what's your point? LOL
here in new york
August 24, 2009 - 06:15 ET by larry on LItheir is no love for our governor , he conducts himself like the village idiot.
How?
August 24, 2009 - 06:46 ET by Kingfish17Was this guy an appointment Lt. Governor, or did he run for the office and win election?
"I've sentenced boys younger then you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it, but I felt I owed it to them." Judge Smails
Not so fast -- Don't slam village idiots
August 24, 2009 - 18:31 ET by ThisnThatI once knew a village idiot. A lot of village idiots were my friends. In fact, I once aspired to be a village idiot.
Trust me, Patterson is nowhere near the same class as village idiots!
___________________________________
"Tax the rich" is a basically unstable way of governing - The NYT
→ Thanks TNT
August 24, 2009 - 18:45 ET by Cool ArrowThis is certainly not the village idiot I knew either.
We will Barry you! - Russian prophecy
MACHO MAN...
August 24, 2009 - 23:02 ET by danybhoyHow about the Village People? They are much better as a musical act then Patterson is as Governor. BTW, the Village Peolpe were not that good.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
Larry on LI
August 24, 2009 - 06:40 ET by jacktheripperyou are absolutely right!!! the man is an idiot and has zero chance of getting elected...race has NOTHING to do with it. these morons keep playing the "poor black man can't get no respect" race card over and over again and it will bite them in the ass!!
"I LOVE DEAD KENNEDY'S"
Lib Rule
August 24, 2009 - 06:44 ET by Red JeepPaterson’s popularity is in the tank because New York State is a financial wreck from years of liberal Democrat rule. It has nothing to do with race.
Blazing Saddles
August 24, 2009 - 06:46 ET by nadadhimmiPaterson looks exactly like Mel Brooks playing his character Gov LePetomaine in Blazing Saddles. His quotes in that movie are perfect for this situation; "We've got to protect our phoney baloney jobs here gentleman ", and " hey, I didn't get a harumph outta that guy, you'd better watch your ass ". Perfect.
what?
August 24, 2009 - 07:09 ET by AJBThe only racism the State Run Media displays is against white males.
Simple deflection:
August 24, 2009 - 07:33 ET by P. Aaron...of a lousy governor who has little chance of re-election trying to deflect from the lousy job he's done. Even New Yorkers will tolerate only so much liberalism.
Patterson is toast.
Second in command
August 24, 2009 - 07:51 ET by KC MulvilleWe have to be careful these days. In the past, the VP pick (or Lieutenant Governor, etc.) was always symbolic and purely political. His only role was to take over in the event of the office holder's death. But these days, you never know when the office-holder will quit, move to a different job, or be indicted out of office.
And who will take over if Obama quits? Joe Biden. It's like a threat, isn't it?
Tiberius strategy squared
August 24, 2009 - 08:13 ET by BlondeAnd after Biden....Nanny Pelosi, yikes!
I find it hillarious that Obama's aides were furious....only Obama is allowed to stupidly play the race card, doncha know?
I hope he fails, too.
i am not familiar with NY voting.
August 24, 2009 - 08:20 ET by JIMMY1660was this guy elected Lt Gov.?? and did this guy get the support of the Media at that time? If that is all fact-he must have let the media down as Gov.??
if so, heis a racist and a coward as related on this page.
he is not worthy to be dog catcher.
BHO- THE PROGRESSIVE PIRATE
August 24, 2009 - 08:26 ET by jessieHYou mess with the god father & you will get burned.
The BS Artist-In-Chief likes his racebaiting a bit more subtle.
August 24, 2009 - 08:46 ET by jazboOtherwise there's little difference between these two - except Patterson actually has some experience.
"Democrats; Breeding voters like farm animals since 1962"
seeing the picture with this
August 24, 2009 - 09:22 ET by right of wayseeing the picture with this article reminds me of one of the funnier bits snl did making fun of gov. patterson. if you haven't seen it and you want to laugh, watch it.
Patterson's comments prove
August 24, 2009 - 09:30 ET by sam12663just how clueless he truly is. For this man to claim the media is racist, and will go after Obama next is remarkable. If it wasn't for the main stream media, Obama would have never even been elected. He has been their chosen one from day one, and they bent over backwards to assure his election. Gov. Patterson, man up, grow a set , and admit you have no clue as to what you are doing.
President Obama is nothing more than a lying empty suit; a Hollywood style special effects smoke and mirrors show that has shown itself to be a total fraud.
WAKE UP AMERICA! SAVE OUR CONSTITUTION!
Dog days in the Governor's mansion
August 24, 2009 - 09:33 ET by Jack BauerGive Governor Paterson a break.
It's gotta be tough when even your Seeing Eye Dog hates ya bleepin' guts too.
ET TU, FIDO?
How could obama be a victim
August 24, 2009 - 09:49 ET by wiwfHow could obama be a victim of a reverse-racist media?
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
N.Y. Gov. Violates Constitution
August 24, 2009 - 10:23 ET by John Galt1776N.Y. Gov. Violates Constitution
Last Updated: Fri, 08/21/2009 - 12:01pm
New York's governor violated the state’s constitution when he appointed a
friend as lieutenant governor last month, according to an appeals court
ruling that dealt the embattled Democrat yet another blow.
Although lieutenant governors can only be elected by voters in the Empire State, Governor David Paterson
disregarded the law and appointed his buddy in July while the state’s
government was essentially paralyzed by a power struggle in which both
major parties claimed to control the Senate.
Paterson, who became governor after a hooker scandal forced Eliot
Spitzer out in 2008, insisted he had the authority to appoint a
lieutenant even though the state’s attorney general warned that the
move was unconstitutional. Paterson disregarded the advice, citing a
bogus provision in a state law that he claims allows governors to fill
vacant offices until the next election.
A Nassau County Judge prevented the illegally appointed lieutenant
(Richard Ravitch) from taking office but allowed Paterson to take his
case to the state’s Court of Appeals. This week a four-justice panel
spanked Paterson, unanimously ruling that he “simply does not have the
authority to appoint a lieutenant governor.”
The nine-page decision goes
on to say that Paterson’s appointment of Ravitch was unlawful because
no provision of the Constitution or any statute provides for the
filling of a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor other than by
election. There’s a great reason for that. The lieutenant governor
wields tremendous power, presiding over the Senate, casting
tie-breaking votes and filling in when the governor is out of state or
unable to fulfill his duties.
A local newspaper editorial applauds the court’s decision, saying it rejected Paterson’s irresponsible attempt to rewrite the state’s constitution.
It also took a jab at the governor by reminding him that he wasn’t
elected either but rather elevated from lieutenant governor when the
Spitzer hooker scandal broke.
http://www.judicialw...
Gov. Paterson is a toxic asset
August 24, 2009 - 10:41 ET by Gary HallOh, allow me to comfortably mind meld merge Tim's last 2 posts:
Perhaps ColorofChange.org should go after the obvious targets.
(;~> gary
It is "only because he’s
August 24, 2009 - 11:04 ET by inquiringmindIt is "only because he’s trying to make change," Mr. Paterson said.
I suppose Hugo Chavez was only trying to make a change as well. Why would anyone critize him for that?
Bill threw Sister Souljah under the bus too.
August 24, 2009 - 11:29 ET by metaphorsbwithuThe administration's reaction would be more credible were it not for the fact that so many supporters, surrogates, and enablers have played the "race card" for so long without complaint.
Sounds like just another (hoped-for) "Sister Souljah" moment to me.
metaphorsbwithu
Obama's protestations will
August 24, 2009 - 12:04 ET by mattmObama's protestations will fall on deaf ears unless he denounces radical hate groups like the Black Panthers and the Color of Change, and renounces his own racist remarks like "typical white person."
oh please
August 24, 2009 - 12:10 ET by candanceObama is not furious about someone playing the race card. He is furious that an unpopular someone played the race card while mentioning His Holiness.
~What she said
August 24, 2009 - 12:14 ET by choselife3xAnd all God's people said "Amen".
Dissent: It's not just for liberals anymore.-kudzupolitics, USA Today
The beauty is that Obama
August 24, 2009 - 13:27 ET by mostlymoderateThe beauty is that Obama will be looked at like Paterson in 3 years: lots of failures, lack of leadership and way too socialist. Probably will claim racism. Maybe then America can prosper again as the capitalist country it was intended to be.
Marxists of any skin color
August 24, 2009 - 15:41 ET by RR GOPMarxists of any skin color suck.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
Obama and Patterson, birds of a feather
August 24, 2009 - 20:44 ET by HogTideRebelCatsIf only I could think of something these two have in common. Oh yeah, both are racists pretending to be victims of racism.