August 11, 2021

"When then-Lt. Gov. David Paterson took over in 2008 after a prostitution scandal forced out Gov. Eliot Spitzer, he’d served in the state Senate for decades, including as minority leader."

"Hochul has years in local government, a term in Congress and seven years as Cuomo’s rarely consulted LG. (Ironically, she led the gov’s 'Enough is Enough' sexual-assault-prevention initiative.)"

The New York Post editors write, in "Kathy Hochul’s huge challenge as New York’s next gov."

Did you remember the last time New York had to move on to its Lieutenant Governor — and that it was another sex-focused scandal? Paterson had a lot more relevant experience, but he was not a successful governor.

14 comments:

gilbar said...

A prostitution scandal forced out Gov Spitzer?
I've said it before, and I'll say it again...

Is there ANY democrat, that Isn't a sex offender?

McSavage said...

Not particularly relevant but, I was a big fan of Zatoichi when David Paterson took over as gov. (1962 to 1968 collection, not the 2003 version)
https://www.criterionchannel.com/zatoichi-the-blind-swordsman

tim maguire said...

gilbar said...Is there ANY democrat, that Isn't a sex offender?

That's the danger of one-party government. Without the other side to provide a check, they are free to indulge their worst tendencies. I can't think of a situation where one party held all the power and behaved responsibly with it. Republican or Democrat.

Craig Howard said...

Hochul can be a competent executive.

In the 2000’s as Erie County clerk [Buffalo], one of her most visible achievements was to reform the miserable and antiquated DMV system. She opened new offices, redesigned the old ones, updated the computer systems, and retrained the employees in customer service. Going to the DMV actually became a not unpleasant experience.

But I fear that the New York City dominated Democrats will first co-opt her and then dump her for one of their own. She is the first upstate governor in roughly 100 years. That will not stand.

Sally327 said...

I'm not that into identity politics --although I'm probably as infected by them as everyone else so perhaps I should say, I wish I didn't see everything through that lens-- but it's stunning to me that NY has never had a female governor until now. The patriarchy lives, even in one of our most progressive states! According to Wikipedia, there are 20 states that have never elected a woman governor. That seems like a lot.

I wish the new governor of NY well. May she be more like Kristi Noem and less like Gretchen Whitmer. Hmmm...I know, not much chance of that. Oh and as we learned from Barack Obama, a lack of experience doesn't always matter. Because a lot of experience doesn't always help, as we're, regretfully, learning from our current President.

Professor Nudelman said...

https://youtu.be/F5H5aC6BLMg

Rachel Maddow did a great job last night explaining Hochul's rise through the ranks of NY politics.

Joe Smith said...

I've spent a lot of time in Upstate New York. Area-wise, the vast majority of New York is fairly conservative (not crazy right) and traditional, so it's amusing to see all of the crazy lefties in Albany.

You could say the same about California. Other than Sacramento and fifty miles from the coast, California is quite conservative...lots of farmers don't you know...

Mikey NTH said...

I wonder when Hochul gets pushed out so that Hillary can become governor? It isn't too late for a come-back.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

One Party Democrat Dictatorship is what we need. Then these sex scandals won't matter.

michaele said...

I remember SNL doing some fairly mocking skits of then Gov. Patterson. His blindness and his unpopularity seemed fair game. I wonder if they'll take the scalpel to Cuomo when their new season hits?

Leora said...

It will be interesting to see if a governor who knows where Rochester and Syracuse are makes a difference to the ignored residents of upstate NY.

Biff said...

My recollection of David Paterson is that he was a legislator without a lot of executive experience before becoming Lieutenant Governor, which often seems to be the pattern for Lt Govs (and VPs). People with strong executive temperament tend not to want to be in the #2 position, especially if the person in the #1 position does not choose to delegate important executive functions. The situation is exacerbated when the person in the #1 position wouldn't be comfortable with a charismatic, ambitious lieutenant. This can lead to disappointing, albeit predictable, results if the #2 has to assume the top spot.

Ms. Harris, take note.

BillieBob Thorton said...

There was corruption all around Paterson but he couldn't see it.

Mel Plontz said...

Wisconsin had Governor Patrick Lucey appointed to serve as Ambassador to Mexico in the Carter Administration - which opened up ~1.5 years in the top slot for Lt. Governor Martin Schreiber.

Then President George W. Bush selected Tommy Thompson for Health and Human Services Secretary and that moved Lt. Gov. Scott McCallum into the top spot for just shy of 2 years.

Both of these guys are now the answer to trivia questions.