Appearing on a Sunday talk show, Vice President Biden claimed to know nothing about whether President Obama has asked New York Gov. David Paterson to step aside in next year’s gubernatorial election.
“To the best of my knowledge, the President has not said anything to David Paterson,” Biden said on Washington Watch with Roland Martin.
“It’s very important that we maintain control of New York,” he said, but “no one’s demanding, to the best of my knowledge, that the governor step down.”
The New York Times reported last week that the White House was pushing Paterson — whose approval rating continues to sink — to give up on his campaign. Paterson has repeated in the week since that he is still planning to run. Although he refuses to give details, he has acknowledged that he’s been in touch with the administration.
“There’s a reality I think the governor has to decide upon, and the Democratic party there has to decide upon: How are we gonna win?” Biden said Sunday. “If it can be shown he can win, he should run.”
