An ‘Even-Keeled’ Heir

Posted March 11, 2008 By JOSH GOODMAN

By becoming governor of New York, David Paterson is making history. Can he succeed where Eliot Spitzer has failed?

With Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigning in the wake of a prostitution scandal, taking his place will be Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson. Merely by taking the oath of office, Paterson will be making history.

Better days: Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Lt. Gov. David Paterson at their inaugural

He will be New York’s first black governor and only the fourth African-American governor in American history. He’s also legally blind and, according to University of Virginia political scientist Larry J. Sabato, will be the nation’s first blind governor.

Blind politicians have served in other top offices, including the U.S. Senate. But beyond historical trivia, the question on everyone’s minds now is whether Paterson can succeed in Albany, where Spitzer has struggled.

The timing of the switch is awkward. The legislature is scheduled to complete work on the budget in only three weeks, and the Democratic-controlled Assembly and the Republican-controlled Senate disagree on key details. Paterson will serve out the remainder of Spitzer's gubernatorial term, which runs through December 2010. Under New York law, a new lieutenant governor won't be named. The Senate majority leader — currently Republican Joseph Bruno — will act as lieutenant governor until after the 2010 elections.

Paterson appears to have the right background to pull off this difficult transition. His father, Basil, is a former state senator from Harlem and a former secretary of state of New York. The younger Paterson also represented Harlem in the state Senate, where he served as the Democratic leader before joining Spitzer’s ticket. In that Senate role, Paterson generally enjoyed amicable relations with Bruno — to the point that Paterson sometimes faced criticism from fellow Democrats.

Spitzer’s inability to work with Bruno was legendary, putting Paterson’s relationship with Bruno to the test. “I think he understands that part of the job in being in the executive branch is respecting members of the legislative branch,” says Pat Quinn, the lieutenant governor of Illinois, who has worked with Paterson on several issues, “even if at times you disagree.”

If Paterson does get along with Bruno, it will be just one way he contrasts with his predecessor. While Spitzer was known as a tough guy — critics called him a “bully" — Paterson is known for a more modest sense of humor. “He's even-keeled and he laughs at himself,” says Barbara Lawton, the lieutenant governor of Wisconsin. “There are way too few people in the political realm who know when and how to laugh at themselves.”

Paterson generally has compiled a progressive record in public office. He’s a supporter of gay marriage and stem cell research. Julia Hurst, director of the National Lieutenant Governors Association, says that Paterson has focused on climate change and other environmental issues in working with his fellow lieutenant governors.

However, Paterson is also known for having an unpredictable streak. He’s actively campaigned for school vouchers, a stance that puts him at odds with most Democrats.

Paterson is also at odds with most of the black community regarding his presidential choice. Like Spitzer, Paterson endorsed Hillary Clinton and campaigned for her enthusiastically. He was also widely regarded as likely to be picked by Spitzer to replace Clinton in the U.S. Senate if she were elected president or vice president. If Clinton does win, that choice now will be in Paterson’s hands.

Plus: a lieutenant governor who's been there