Despite Pressure, Paterson Vows He's Still Running

By JOSEPH SPECTOR

Gannett News Service

ALBANY - Gov. David Paterson on Sunday vowed to continue to run for election next year despite a push by the White House for him to end his campaign.

"I have said time and time again that I am running for governor next year," he said during the 40th annual African-American Day Parade in Manhattan.

Paterson's comments come after political advisers to President Barack Obama met with Paterson last week to advise him against running, officials said.

Paterson declined to discuss what he called "confidential conversations," saying he is focused on the state's fiscal problems.

"We have the most unprecedented deficit in the history of the state and the fewest means to fight back," he said. "And that's where my focus is."

The involvement by the White House, first reported Sunday by The New York Times, is the latest bad news for Paterson, who has had record low approval ratings in polls and has faced skepticism from fellow Democrats over whether he can run a successful campaign for governor in 2010.

Obama and Paterson are scheduled to appear together Monday in the Albany area, where Obama will give a speech about the economy. There is no one-on-one meeting planned between the two, the White House said.

A White House administration official Sunday said that Obama and Paterson have not discussed Paterson's future, but "it's no secret that Democrats in New York are very concerned about the situation, we share those concerns and those concerns have been conveyed in an appropriate way."

The official said that the White House didn't order him out of the race and doesn't have the authority to do so, but "he has to look at his situation and make the decision that he thinks is right for himself, the party and the state."

Despite the message, Paterson has appeared to be ramping up efforts to run for election, even announcing a campaign manager Thursday. Richard Fife, a New York adviser to Obama's presidential campaign last year, was named campaign manager.

A Marist College poll last week found that only 20 percent of New York voters approved of Paterson's performance and 70 percent do not want Paterson to run for governor in 2010. Meanwhile, 67 percent said they want Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, to run.

The polls and the White House's role could impact whether Paterson would be able to raise money for a campaign, some experts said. Already, Cuomo in July had $10 million in his campaign coffers compared to $5 million for Paterson.

"To have pressure from the White House not to run comes as very unwelcomed news for Governor Paterson and also provides all the political cover in the world that Andrew Cuomo might need if he decides to run," said Marist pollster Lee Miringoff.

Paterson succeeded Eliot Spitzer as governor in March 2008 when Spitzer resigned. His poll numbers soared after he took office, but have fallen since late last year amid his poor handling in picking a Senate candidate to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the state's fiscal problems.

Paterson has had a rocky relationship with the White House. The White House in January sent signals that it wanted Paterson to pick Caroline Kennedy to succeed Clinton, but he went instead with Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand of the Albany area, leaving vulnerable her House seat, which was ultimately kept by Democrat Scott Murphy.

Last month, the White House rejected claims by Paterson that he and other African-American leaders, including Obama, were being mistreated by the media.

Polls have shown Paterson losing to potential Republican candidate former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, while Cuomo would defeat potential GOP challengers.

Giuliani has not indicated whether he will run for governor next year, while Cuomo has shrugged off questions about his intentions.

Next year is a critical election year in New York. All statewide seats are up for election, as well as all 29 U.S House seats and all state legislative seats.