Destroyed by hubris and drowning in a tsunami of hypocrisy, the political career and power so craved by Eliot Spitzer slips away into the ether never to be seen again. Into the den of lions steps David Paterson, New York State’s Lieutenant Governor and the first African American and first blind man to hold that position.
On the eve of his inauguration as New York State’s 55th Governor, David Paterson should consider the blueprint of his tri-state neighbor, M. Jodi Rell, Governor of Connecticut. Mrs. Rell was the longtime and longsuffering sidekick to the corrupt Republican megalomaniac, John Rowland, a three term governor. He went to prison having taken kickbacks from contractors doing business with the state.
Mrs. Rell moved quickly and decisively to distance herself from the former governor by endorsing an ethics package of reforms that banned campaign contributions from lobbyists and provided public financing for campaigns. Paterson, if he is smart, will do the same. Governor Spitzer championed limited ethics reform legislation. The crisis will allow Patterson to go much further.
Mrs. Rell established her integrity from the jump, and she gave excellent inaugural and state of the state addresses that branded her as an honest leader worthy of the people’s trust. Moreover, she extended her hand to the other party in a gesture of bipartisanship that won kudos from all. Her approval ratings are the highest on record for a Connecticut governor and she was re-elected in 2006 by a landslide majority.
Paterson, a former State Senator for two decades and Minority Leader of the New York State Senate, is no lightweight. A scion of a political family, his father, Basil Paterson, was a former New York Secretary of State and his son’s predecessor in the New York State Senate. He is well qualified to assume power. Nevertheless, it won’t stop his successor as Lt. Governor, Republican Joe Bruno and a host of others: Mike Bloomberg, Rudy Giuliani, and Andrew Cuomo from trying to knock over a blind man and take his throne.
The Republicans smell blood and are in a feeding frenzy as they consume the carcass of Eliot Spitzer like Sharks on chum. Once he is completely devoured, they’ll start in on Patterson. If Paterson doesn’t move decisively to assert his power and control, he’ll meet the same fate.
One way he could stake out some independence is by abandoning his support of Hillary Clinton. Surely he understands that if he wishes to seek re-election, he must do so with the unanimous support of African Americans. One way to reach blackfolks is by cutting the Empress of Triangulation loose in favor of the man who will be King.
As of this posting, word still hadn’t come from the Governor about a decision regarding resignation. Paterson should use my favorite Jamie Foxx line in “RAY.” Responding to his angry mistress who demanded that he leave his wife for her, Ray says, “You knew what it was before you got into it.” If Paterson still don’t get the answer he wants to hear, he should do as Ray did when a promoter tried to short him on his money: come across the table and whoop dat azz.
Man up. Issue a statement calling for him to resign and take what’s yours. He was man enough to leave the state in your hands to do his ho in peace, why can’t he leave for good, now?
Skeptical Brotha 
SB:
ROFLMAO at that one.
That would be two brothas in the State House – Patterson in New York and Patrick in Massachusetts.
Time for a little history to be made, especially if it rounds out and Obama gets the White House.
Nooooo…it’s politically taboo to lobby for someone to resign in this situation. All he has to do is lie in the cut and let the sharks do their job. I agree with the rest of the strategy you outlined, though. He’s gotta do the high road/bipartisan thing. But what he should really do is go after Wall Street even harder than Spitzer did. This will teach them not to launch politically motivated investigations like they did on Spitzer. Oh and one more thing you forgot to mention, he’s got to stay away from them hoes. 😉
I might be the only person in America who actually feels sorry for Spitzer. It’s sad to see somehow shattered so thoroughly.
Great entry, SB!!
“That would be two brothas in the State House” — TPJ
Interestingly, there were two brothas in the Senate during post-Civil War Reconstruction:
* Hiram R. Revels (R) Mississippi 1870-1871;
* Blanche K. Bruce (R) Mississippi 1875-1881.
One of the reasons I’ve always slept with one eye open even as I roll with the democratic party is due to what happened next in the story of this country’s history re: white backlash.
Pls don’t miss the irony that on the day Obama is projected to win the democratic primary in Mississippi — a state in which 2 black senators also came to power — we also have a democrat (who was once the VP nominee, Ferraro) coming out to say that one of our leading statesmen is there ONLY because he is black.
Even as we celebrate 2 brothers being in the Statehouse, I am keeping my eyes and ears open to the possibility of hearing more future backlashes against the few, but hard earned, gains blacks have made politically.
I know that sounds very pessimistic, but again, this is our nation’s history. I am open to someone’s thoughts who feels otherwise. Heck, I’d love to hear anything positive right about now…
Here’s some positive news Rick, Nancy Pelosi says no way this dream team ticket idea is plausible after Clintons saying McCain would be a better president than Obama. If Pelosi is speaking out about this I ‘m sure many other Dems feel likewise….not that Barack would have ever been pressured into doing it anyway
So much for Bill and Hill’s scheming and strategizing for Hillary to end up as Barack’s VP……. he really deserves someone supportive in that position
Well, I’ve been listening and I have to tell you I DO feel bad for Spitzer. But, he made a whole lot of enemies…and that’s the thing about making the kinds of enemies that he has…you better keep your ass 3 steps ahead of them, or when they finally catch you —–your ass is grass.
If this had been before the Drivers License fiasco, I do think that there would have been more Democrats willing to stand with him and see him through this. But, after he slung them under the bus over the DL’s, they feel no obligation to defend him – at all.
Man up. Issue a statement calling for him to resign and take what’s yours. He was man enough to leave the state in your hands to do his ho in peace, why can’t he leave for good, now?
Actually, I disagree with you on this, SB. He should let it play out.
Ain’t nobody coming to rescue Spitzer.
Be strong and silent, and step up to the plate when Spitzer finally resigns.
He needs to stay away from this.
Once the GOP began calling for impeachment – ain’t no NY Dems gonna hoist on any petard to defend Spitzer. Let it go down how it goes down, and Patterson will have clean hands.
You know Hillary’s going to sling Spitzer under the bus to save her campaign, cause he’s a superdelegate that supports her.
Right now, her problem is how fast and how soon she will start slinging.
I think Spitzer should stay right where he is. The ReThugs do it, even though all of them should be in jail.
I do have to question his judgement about spending so much money on poon, though.
thanks, Marla K. Always great to see your insights on here 🙂
“Destroyed by hubris and drowning in a tsunami of hypocrisy, the political career and power so craved by Eliot Spitzer slips away into the ether never to be seen again.”
SB, What?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/08/nyregion/08ring.htmlex=1396843200&en=5ad420bab7b7f1fb&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND
“Eliot Spitzer, who oversees the task force, said in a statement. “It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring, and now its owners and operators will be held accountable.”
MR. SPITZER, MR. SPITZER!!!!!!!!
We are anxious for a statement.
My own interpretations of his thoughts…
“I am above the Law that I am elected to prosecute.
Those who are beneath my feet or fractions of dogs are the only ones responsible to follow the laws that we made for them.
Only a little bit’ of patronization of prostitution to suffice my gaps and spurts.
Only a little bit’ more than five thousand and hour for my special girls to flirt.
The animals I locked in my cages pay for my room service and routine.
The wind beneath my wings, no they are the animals beneath my feet, because they are indebted to me, and I control their whether they go free.
Only animals pay $250.00 for their girls, therefore they should be locked up in destitute. I am the one in control, I control whether they will pay to raise their $250.00 baby.
I control whether or not they will think about self-control, because their lack of self-control has paid me.
I love being in control.
BUT UH OHH, it may be time for what I thought of as one of the animals beneath my feet to take control. ”
🙂
Paying 80K for Hoes?
Come on.
It’s a matter of TIMING.
IFFFF this had come out before the Driver License thing, when his popularity was at 70%, I believe a lot of Dems would have circled the wagons like the GOP does.
BUT, after the DL debacle, where he burned to a crisp members of his own party..nobody’s coming to his defense.
Under.the.bus.
Andre Carson won in Indiana.
Congress has its second Muslim member.
Hey, I am surprised there is nothing on your blog about that racist Geraldine Ferraro. She had the audacity to say that Barack is where he is today because he is black and nothing else, like a Senator, a former State Senator, Harvard Law Grad, Columbia University Grad, Harvard Law review editor and oh yeah by the way he won 30 out of 40 priomary and caucuses.
She has the audacity to say that when she was probably the most unqualified vice president pick in 1984 and was clearly put on the ticket with Mondale just because she was a woman.
I was furious when she said that “Now she is being discriminated because she is white”it just show you that white liberals, deep down are more racist than we think and have no respect for black people no matter how high they are in society.
As for Spitzer, I like him, but he deserves what he is getting. This isn’t a vast right wing conspiracy. This was his own stupidity similar to the stupidity of Kwame Kilpatrick. Thank god David Paterson and that “Paterson” not “Patterson”as everyone keeps writing will be our next great black Governor!
Geraldine Ferraro, who has not be relevant to an…nee..thing in a quarter century, is stepping up to rally working class ethnics for the next primary showdown.
This is what happens when organizations create the illusion of being all things to all people when, in fact, they are not. :: yawn ::
NEXT!!
re: “Is that what they really think of us?”
Jay, if I read you correctly, what I hear you saying is that it’s not just Ferraro’s comments you find troubling (and the person saying it)…but rather that Ferraro’s comments could be manifestations of a broader perceptions that white liberals have against successful black people more generally — regardless of that black person’s accomplishments (not just Obama’s). If so I agree, and I also would find that very troubling if that is true.
For myself, I got my first real wake up call that some white liberals can be just as rascist as any other group — and arguably more dangerous — when I heard some very troubling remarks coming from our white “allies” during the Imas fiasco — specifically when blacks rallied to cause Imus to (temporarily) lose his job. I heard some things akin to Ferraro’s comments yesterday about black people not being deserving of some of our positions. That’s why I said some white liberals could be “more” dangerous because at least I know many conservative republicans can’t stand black people, so I am always on guard and know that we always have to be prepared to fight.
It’s the group that stabs you in the back (while you are asleep), puts half of your young black men in prision with discrimating laws, while at the same time calling you friend…well, THAT is the group I worry about more. It’s why I’d vote McCain in a minute if Hillary gets the nomination.
Why? I’d rather die standing up on my feet fighting, then be killed in my “sleep” thinking everything is fine and dandy.
As soon as the news hit of the scandal in NY, people started calling me and coming up to me, asking me what I thought about the possibility of NY getting their first black and blind governor. Honestly, I had no idea that the brother even existed. (Forgive me for not keeping up.) But when one of my best friends called me and told me that Paterson was legally blind, I smiled. And the next day when I got to work and one of my coworkers told me that he was also an African American, I was shamelessly proud. Just keeping it real.
I know that many may not understand this… But hearing about the accomplishments of a white blind person may or may not impress me. But hearing about brothas and sistas that are disabled, rising above the barriers, impresses the hell out of me. Yes, I know some say that this new position for him is because of someone else’s fall. But I say whatever to that. I’m still proud.
Angie, you make a brotha proud to be your brotha. I just wanted you to know that. And I mean that on the realness. If your last post isn’t enough inspiration to start my day, then I don’t know what is. (We are all proud of you too! 🙂
Here’s an article you will enjoy. I did.
After Spitzer: Paterson brings political acumen to New York politics
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080313/ts_csm/anewgov
Thanks Rick. You’re so sweet!
Angie,
I have to say that I thought about you when I heard about Paterson. I think we all understand where you’re coming from, and the Brotha has mad political skills.
Of course, Ferraro would say that Paterson is DOUBLY Lucky – Black AND Blind.
“Of course, Ferraro would say that Paterson is DOUBLY Lucky – Black AND Blind.” Rikyrah
LOL!
Thanks for my afternoon laugh. That woke me up a little. I’m going to go get a Coke to handle the rest.
Anytime Angie, anytime 🙂