ALBANY — Gov. Paterson has officially played the race card.
The beleaguered Democratic governor in a radio interview this morning blamed his troubles on a racist media that he said has taken part in an “orchestrated” effort to get him out of office.
Paterson, a former lieutenant governor, who faces an uphill election fight next year, argued that other prominent black politicians, including President Obama, had received similar treatment.
“I submit that the same kind of treatment that (Gov.) Deval Patrick is receiving right now in Massachusetts, and I’m receiving; the way in which the New York State Senate was written about, calling them a bunch of people with thick necks – they’re talking about (Senate President) Malcolm Smith and (Senate Democratic Leader) John Sampson – that we’re not in the post-racial period,” Paterson said.
“The reality is that the next victim on the list and you see it coming is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than try to reform a health care system that’s not ten percent of GDP and will be 20 percent of GDP in the next four years only because he’s trying to make change,” the governor continued.
The governor also lashed out at the media in his remarks on to AM1600 WWRL talk show host Errol Louis.
“If these people who are writing the articles, Errol, had to run the state, they couldn’t run it for five minutes because they’re about to go under themselves,” Paterson said. “And the fact is that this state is alive and well, will balance its budget in September and will be around a lot longer than their outlets are.”
The remarks will be widely seen as an attempt by Paterson to rally his base in the face of a potential primary challenge from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Paterson’s poll numbers have been at historic lows for months as Cuomo enjoys meteoric popularity.
Paterson said he wasn’t concerned about the long odds.
Even if it didn’t work out, what is the shame of running for re-election and losing?” Paterson said. “There’s no shame in losing. The shame is that you don’t fight.”