NY Gov. David Paterson – doing double duty as substitute for WOR’s John Gambling Friday morning – said he’s not interested in replacing Rep. Charles Rangel should the newly-censured Harlem Democrat decide he’s had enough of Washington.”I don’t want to be a political re-tread,” Paterson said during his radio stint this morning.
“I’m happy to step aside and let some other people run the state and that district where Congressman Rangel represents right now,” Paterson continued, naming Assemblyman Keith Wright and City Councilwoman Inez Dickens as more likely candidates to replace Rangel.
Paterson, meanwhile, continued to defend Rangel, calling his censure “excessive” and was boosted in his arguments by Rep. Peter King.
King, who was one of three Republican House members to vote for a lesser punishment for Rangel, was a guest with Paterson and equated the House’s decision to censure Rangel with “mob rule.”
“We should not be a run away jury,” King said, arguing that the censure of Rangel violated “all our previous precedent.”
“Charlie is an acquired taste,” King continued. “If you are outside of New York, you know Charlie Rangel in many ways personifies all that people believe is bad about New York. He’s loud, he’ s brash, he wears colorful clothes, he’s in your face. But that should not impinge on our judgment of the case ”
Paterson agreed.
“We have to have some level of punishment that is not expulsion but definitely demonstrates some level of corruption,” Paterson said. “And that’s what I thought the censure was for and what Rangel did is one level down and that’s what I thought the reprimand was for.”
Earlier in the day, Gov. Paterson said he believes Mayor Bloomberg will make a run for president in 2012 if he believes he can win.
Paterson said a lot will depend on the “constallation of candidates.”
If the GOP runs a conservative like Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee, Bloomberg might join the fray and a moderate independent, Paterson said.
“He needs a wide open middle,” he said.
“I think the mayor’s doing the right thing. He’s not forcing the issue or drawing attention to himself. He is watching and positioning just in case so he would have that option.
If the situation presented itself, he’s been a risk taker and a very successful entrepreneur and an elected official, I think he would take the shot.”
Bloomberg would have the resources and the associations to make probably the first serious independent run since Teddy Roosevelt in 1912.
“At this point, he doesn’t have to do this. I think he would only do it if he thought he could win and he thought it would be beneficial that he run.”
Paterson joked about his own reputation after told of Blooomberg’s comments that President Obama needs smarter people around him. Bloomberg also rapped Obama for not sticking to his belief by saying one thing to supporters and doing another.
“I thought he was talking about me,” Paterson joked.
The governor was less effusive about Donald Trump’s recent comments that he’d consider running for president.
{NY Daily News/Matzav.com}
