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KEEP THE FLAK JACKET, DAVE

ALBANY – Gov. Paterson had better hang on to the flak jacket he wore in Baghdad – because he’s going to be in the crosshairs when he returns to New York later this week.

Be ready, Governor, for the flak that awaits you from the likes of:

1. Wealthy taxpayers, including all those out-of-work or soon-to-be-out-of-work Wall Street executives, not to mention the hordes of Bernie Madoff victims, whom you’ve signaled you’ll tax at a new higher rate after promising you wouldn’t do so.

2. New York’s beleaguered taxpayers in general, whom you’re trying to saddle with 137 new taxes, even while claiming you’re cutting state spending, when you’re not.

3. Mayor Bloomberg, whose appeal to you yesterday to move quickly to pick Hillary Rodham Clinton‘s successor was widely seen as implying he thinks you’re going back on what he believes was a promise to put Caroline Kennedy in the job.

It’s not a good idea to anger a widely popular, politically ambitious billionaire whom the Republicans would love to have run against you in 2010.

4. Caroline Kennedy, the entire Kennedy clan, and, possibly, soon-to-be-President Obama.

Let’s just say there’ll be hell to pay from Uncle Teddy, Cousin Robert Jr. and a dozen other Kennedy family members and, maybe, the White House itself if you end up picking someone other than their current favorite to carry on the Camelot dream.

5. Democratic Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Steve Israel, Kirsten Gillibrand, Gary Ackerman, José Serrano, Brian Higgins and a half-dozen others unwilling to be named, all of whom have questioned or challenged the selection of Kennedy as Clinton’s successor.

These are all influential and proud elected officials who have toiled in the political vineyards for years, developing powerful local political bases. They won’t be happy if you chose a neophyte because her name is Kennedy.

6. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo: If you don’t offer him the Senate job, you’ll have delivered a major public humiliation to New York’s only statewide elected state official. (Remember, neither you nor Comptroller Tom DiNapoli was elected to office.) Not a good thing to do for a hard-driving guy who rides a Harley, hunts with a shotgun, has run several campaigns for governor, and would like to follow in the footsteps of a father named Mario.

fredric.dicker@nypost.com