I've commented before on the fall of David Paterson, which continues unabated and makes me wonder whether Eliot Spitzer's press blitz isn't a sign that he desires to be the once and future governor. Why I think Paterson has failed is because, well, for one he's a weak and indecisive leader. But there's also the little fact that he's a behind-the-scenes operator and always has been. He was a state legislature leadership guy, not someone who ran for statewide office. I do feel that that's the reason he's been out of his depth, and had Spitzer stayed on and Paterson wound up as the Junior Senator from New York (as was initially rumored) everyone would be much better off.
I do believe that Kirsten Gillibrand will hang on, though. She's certainly not going to be beaten by George Pataki, and she is a talented politician from what I read. I'm not necessarily happy about this because, given her voting record, she's either very conservative or a liar, and I find it very hard to believe that Paterson couldn't do better than her. Actually, I suspect that Gillibrand's moderation and profile would have made her a compelling candidate for Governor of New York at some point in the future. It might still.
