Audio- Limbaugh: "For the first time in his life, Paterson is gonna be a massa" if he chooses Massa's replacement

That is the most convoluted path to calling a man a n word without saying it outright. He must have a daily quota of racist comments to fill.

Breaking- MSNBC confirms David Paterson will not run for Governor of New York

Hard to come back after you've become a laughing stock. Link when I get it.

Update-

Gov. David Paterson has decided not to seek election to a full term amid a roiling scandal over whether he and his troopers intimidated a woman who'd reported domestic violence against one of his top aides, The Post has learned.

Paterson has communicated to top advisers and supporters that he will pull the plug on his campaign today, multiple sources said -- confirming a Post report.

He's expected to make a statement between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Paterson, who took over the state's top spot when Eliot Spitzer resigned after it was disclosed that he had sex with a prostitute, is expected to say he won't resign.

When Fake News Goes Viral

By GottaLaff

If only fake news were the Jon Stewart kind:

The New York Observer notes that 13 different news organizations ran unsourced stories about the supposed blockbuster New York Times story about New York Gov. David Paterson -- even before the governor issued his now famous denial.

Walter Shapiro: "Sadly, this is what happens when the old-media arrogance of The New York Times -- a newspaper that will do things its own way on its own schedule -- collides with the sex sells, rumors-are-reality sleaziness of the new media. Isn't the 21st century great?"

This reminds me of Keith Olbermann's explanation of how a ClusterFox meme gets started. One of their punditiots opines, it's picked up as a "some say" by their "news" [sic] team, and that in turn gets reported as "news" by the rest of the media.

Then, the more often the story is repeated, the more credibility it is given, which makes about as much sense as ... well, a 2010 vote for Michele Bachmann.

Gov. Paterson resignation coming?

By GottaLaff

It's hot in here. It must be scandal season. And they say it's global warming. Ha:

Business Insider reported tonight that a New York Times story on a simmering scandal involving New York Gov. David Paterson (D) would drop on Monday with the governor's resignation to follow.

Paterson's office has since denied the report but has acknowledged that a possible story is coming soon.

VIDEO- Steele: Obama pushing Paterson out of NY race... because he's black.

By GottaLaff



First of all, it's not "Democrat" governors, it's Democratic, okay? Okay.

Second of all:

Perhaps sensing that he'd once again said something he shouldn't have, Steele backtracked. Stumbling over his words, he questioned why Obama wasn't asking other Democrats with poor poll numbers -- like Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) -- not to run, calling it "a curiosity."

If anything here is a curiosity, it's how this man with a doodle pad for brains became a Rushpublic spokespuck.

President Obama Asks Gov Paterson to Step Aside

Ooooh, drama.

Apparently someone at the White House didn't like the news that New York Gov. David Paterson (D) was staffing up to run for election next year despite his terrible approval ratings.

The New York Times reports President Obama himself sent a request to Paterson that he withdraw from the New York governor's race, fearing that Paterson "cannot recover from his dismal political standing."

"The move against a sitting Democratic governor represents an extraordinary intervention into a state political race by the president, and is a delicate one, given that Mr. Paterson is one of only two African-American governors in the nation."

Gov. David Paterson Admits Role in Kennedy Smear

By GottaLaff

Gee, I didn't know that, by ordering my staff to contradict Caroline's story, it would turn all mean and stuff!

For the first time, New York Gov. David Paterson (D) acknowledged "that he personally ordered his staff to contest Caroline Kennedy's version of events in the hours after she withdrew from consideration to be United States senator," the New York Times reports.

However, Paterson said that he was "bewildered when his staffers subsequently unleashed harsh personal attacks against Ms. Kennedy."

Said Paterson: "The things said about Caroline I found despicable and shocking and very painful. I never would have imagined removing the idea that this is my first choice meant a character assassination."

Well, okay, since you put it that way.

Paterson Leaks Intended to Smear Kennedy

By GottaLaff

Surprise, surprise. Check out the last sentence, the one I highlighted in red:

A New York Times investigation of the appointment process to fill New York's vacant U.S. Senate seat finds that "it's clear" that New York Gov. David Paterson's (D) administration "released confidential information" about Caroline Kennedy "and misled reporters about its significance as part of an orchestrated effort to discredit her after she withdrew."

"According to advisers to the governor who were involved in the process, the leaks against Ms. Kennedy were coordinated by Judith A. Smith, a consultant who has been acting as the governor's top communications strategist."

Apparently, Fred Dicker was right.

Update: The New York Daily News reports Smith was formerly deputy White House press secretary under President Bush.

Paterson Called Out on Leaks

By GottaLaff

Busted:

Fred Dicker: "Gov. Paterson yesterday insisted he had no idea who did the slime job on Caroline Kennedy -- although the source of the information is about as close to him during the day as his wife is at night. He's a liar."

"The person responsible for the smear was an individual whose identity is well known to the press, whose full-time job is to do the governor's bidding, and who is intelligent enough not to call reporters to damage Kennedy's reputation without approval from the top -- and that means Paterson."

Then again, Dicker writes for the New York Post.

Russ Feingold Wants to End Senate Appointments

By GottaLaff

What Blagoeuoeuboiqvozhesvich and Paterson have wrought... or rotten:

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) plans to introduce an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to end appointments to the Senate by state governors.

Said Feingold: "The controversies surrounding some of the recent gubernatorial appointments to vacant Senate seats make it painfully clear that such appointments are an anachronism that must end. In 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution gave the citizens of this country the power to finally elect their senators. They should have the same power in the case of unexpected mid term vacancies, so that the Senate is as responsive as possible to the will of the people. I plan to introduce a constitutional amendment this week to require special elections when a Senate seat is vacant, as the Constitution mandates for the House, and as my own state of Wisconsin already requires by statute."

A Constitutional amendment? That won't be easy.

Kennedy Family "Furious" with Paterson

By GottaLaff

I wouldn't want the Kennedy clan angry at me:

"An 'apoplectic' Kennedy family is seething over the rough treatment that heiress apparent Caroline got from Gov. Paterson's office and is spoiling for revenge," the New York Post reports.

Said one "well-placed" Democrat: "The governor's going to pay for this. Ted is furious. The family is furious. The Kennedys are now against the governor."

Okay, that's from the Post. Grain of salt.

The New York Daily News quotes another source close to the Kennedy family: "Maybe [Paterson] was caught off guard by her decision, but to disparage her the way they have is beyond understanding."

The Daily News. 'Nuff said.

New York magazine on Paterson: "His style of governance, a dizzy mix of ingratiation and trickeration, has turned what could have been a moment of triumph -- a powerful new ally in the Senate, a relationship with President Obama -- into a slapstick fiasco, a fitting sequel to the way Paterson got the job in the first place."

There seems to be a media consensus on that one, no matter what the source. The entire process turned into a circus, and the media have managed to confirm their tabloid bent by jumping on the band wagon.

In the world of comedy, there's an implicit rule for success: Know when to stop. Unfortunately, in this case, it was a comedy of errors.

Not Caroline?

By GottaLaff

A slip? Or a yawner:

Ben Smith thinks Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) might have spilled the beans on Gov. David Paterson's (D) Senate appointment in an interview with a public television station:

RAFAEL PI ROMAN: Lastly, I know you talked to Governor Paterson about the replacement for Senator Clinton, I was wondering if you have any favorites among the candidates that are being discussed?

CONGESSMAN RANGEL: Well the governor has already made up his mind and he shared it with me, and I support that he's going to select the best possible candidate that he can.

RAFAEL PI ROMAN: When are we going to find that out?

CONGESSMAN RANGEL: When he selects him.

Yeahwhateverlet'smoveon.

New Yorkers Approve of Clinton Moving On

Not sure if they think she'll do a great job or just glad to see her go....

A new Marist poll shows 55% of New York voters want President-elect Obama to choose Sen. Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State while just 31% think Clinton should remain in the U.S. Senate and 14% aren't quite sure.

To fill her seat, 43% of voters think Gov. David Paterson** (D) should appoint State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) tie for a distant second with 5% each.

**$10 says this is why Paterson just started blogging over at Kos.