More Credit Where It's Due...

Paterson may not be a savvy politician and wouldn't have been Governor without Spitzer's downfall, but still...

• "... when the state had a crushing budget deficit, he made some hard choices. Unpopular choices, which a better politician wouldn't have made--but which are ultimately the reason that New York is not yet California."

Saturday Night Live will miss Paterson more than New Yorker's will, but he made some hard budget choices that were necessary and NY is the better off for it. But if he's forced to resign before his term ends 10 months from now, who will step up to lead New York in the tough budget choices that have to be made.

• ..the state faces a March 31 deadline to produce a new budget for the next fiscal year, but Mr. Paterson has not held any talks in recent weeks with legislative leaders about how to deal with an $8 billion shortfall.

New York would be better off keeping Paterson around to take the blame for the impending cuts that will, of course, be unpopular. Voters like the term "spending cuts" - they just hate actual spending cuts.
- posted by john @ 4:06 PM