Columns
Related Photos
Tools
MARREN: At least Paterson has his humor
All you can do is laugh. That must be the mantra of Gov. David Paterson these days.
Wednesday newsroom reporter Joe Olenick and I shuffled off to Syracuse for the Associated Press annual meeting and awards ceremony. The day seminar included a lunch with Paterson as the featured speaker.
In a room full of editors and reporters, you could sense everyone was ready to pounce on Paterson and ask the first question. Who would be the one to ask about the Obama shun he experienced earlier in the week.
I can’t even imagine being Paterson in a room full of journalists just a day or two after Obama basically told him to “take a breather” from his run for re-election.
“Of all the weeks to have this audience,” Paterson must have thought.
Still he showed up on time, which is more than I can say for countless other politicians I’ve encountered of far less status and importance. He took every reporter’s question and brought his humor with him, something I’ve only heard about from those who have worked with him closely.
“I did not sign up for this,” Paterson said. “I wanted to be lieutenant governor. I had this grand plan that Hillary Clinton was going to become president and maybe the governor would appoint me to the Senate.”
Clinton didn’t win and Spitzer was far from appointing anyone to anything, so Paterson ended up as governor 18 months ago.
Since then, he has made some fans, but many more detractors — at least that’s what the polls say, for whatever it’s worth.
He said he’s seen himself in the attack ads and could sympathize with voters. “I wouldn’t like what I saw either,” Paterson said.
“... That’s why I’m working on my appearance,” a clean shaven and fit-looking Paterson added.
Joking only gets the man so far. A great sense of humor is fine if you’re looking for a date or looking to make it as a comic, but he needs more than that.
Paterson has a great vocabulary, is intelligent and can hold your attention through every word of his speech.
Kind of sounds like ... wait, I’ll think of it ... oh yeah, Obama! Ironic, right?
But alas, Obama has thrown his support behind the more popular Democrat at the moment, Andrew Cuomo.
For me it doesn’t matter, I probably wouldn’t vote for either, but then again, I haven’t seen who Republicans will throw out there. I guess word is Rick Lazio. Not sure about that one.
But no matter who runs or how Paterson fares, at least we all know it will be a laughing affair, which makes it New York politics as usual.
Tim Marren is the managing
editor of the Lockport Union-Sun
& Journal. Contact him at Tim.Marren@lockportjournal.com or 439-9222.
- Columns
-
-
The soundtrack to spring
My van and I have been through nine spring rituals together. This year will be the 10th. The ritual has been the same every year, and I really do not intend to change it.
-
LEFFLER: The good life in Western New York
Oh look! Spring. Now, technically I know it’s not spring yet, but with the Ides of March and Buffalo’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in our rear-view, two of the indicators I use for spring have already passed.
-
DRINKWALTER: The Dominican adventure
I was never as happy to be back in the USA as I was when our Jet Blue flight came skidding down the runway at the Buffalo airport a few weeks ago. Even if the air controller’s kid might have been the one to usher us in, Jet Blue was our salvation. We had arrived home from “a long strange trip” to the Dominican Republic.
-
MARREN: Shine some light on government
In the newspaper industry, there is always an interest, and rightfully so, in shining light on public figures, contracts, salaries and more government business.
-
WOLCOTT: World War II vets have a way of being remembered
After I interviewed Kenneth Moss at his Cambria-Wilson Road home for a story that’s coming in our Pride Magazine in April, he stopped me at the kitchen door.
-
TOM CHRISTY: New York state's got a borrowing addiction
New York state is in fiscal crisis — but that’s just too easy to say. It rolls off the tongue far too easily and sounds far less dire than the situation actually is.
-
FROM THE VALLEY: SpaghettiOs and ‘wascal wabbits’
I thought it was worth recognizing several people who have passed away since the start of the relatively new year. I share them with you as a “tip of the hat” for their contributions.
-
GEORGE ROOT: Breaking the chains
I am not a young person anymore. Recently, I have been able to embrace that notion and start to work with it.
-
LEFFLER: Too many questions
“We can’t move forward until you mail it back. ”That little slogan has been frustrating me now since I first heard it a couple months ago.
-
EGGERT: Welcome to a new police officer
On behalf of the Lockport Police Department, I would like to welcome David Pytlik as the newest member of our department.
- More Columns Headlines
-
