Gov. David Paterson (D-NY), who has faced intense pressure within the Democratic Party to not run for a full term in 2010 — reportedly including the Obama administration itself — has now launched two new TV ads, as sure a sign as any that he’s not giving up.
Polls currently show him losing in a landslide against potential Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani. He would also lose the Democratic primary by an even greater margin against a possible challenge from state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
In one ad, Paterson himself speaks to the camera: “Some say I shouldn’t be running for governor.” He says this is because he’s forced state legislators to cut the deficit, has asked for concessions from unions, and wanted big corporations to pay their share in taxes. “It might have been easier if all I thought about was running for governor,” says Paterson, “but I think it’s more important to do what’s right for the people of New York.”
The other ad talks about Paterson’s blindness — and says that he has learned to listen. The announcer also acknowledges that Paterson’s time in office has not been perfect: “And when you become governor, you learn you will make mistakes. But in the depths of an historic recession, you take what you have learned and have the strength to do what’s right for the people of New York.”
