Spitzer’s out (as of next Monday). Paterson’s in.The best piece I’ve come across on David Paterson was written two years ago by Ben Smith for the New York Observer.
Smith now writes for Politico.com, and he recycled his 2006 reporting for an article today.
The New York Times wrote about Paterson in late 2006 – along with his father, longtime Harlem pol Basil Paterson – after David was elected lieutenant governor of New York.
The younger Paterson, who is legally blind, told the Times:
“Every singe white political consultant that I ever worked with likes to promote my disabilities, and I suspect it’s to mitigate race – to give me, in their eyes, an honorary white status.”
Damn, that's a deep comment. Is that meaning that it's easier to be blind in America thn it is to be black?
ReplyDeleteNot a New Yorker, but I figure I'll be learning a lot more about this fellow in the the immediate future. Heck. I want to learn more about him and his rise. He sounds like a real success story
I just learned that that's two firsts: he'll be NYs first African American Governor (okay, I knew that), and America's the first blind Governor (didn't realize that).
ReplyDeleteFor YEARS I've wondered whether Paterson was blind; I'd never heard it discussed until 48 hours ago.
Oh, and forget that he was Lt. Governor, Geraldine Ferraro probably thinks he only got the governorship because he's black AND blind! *snark*
Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteFrankly that's nonsense.
Americans have deep built-in respect for those who have overcome great difficulties. Of all the problems out there blindness certainly ranks pretty high.
Seriously. Would you rather be black and with sight or white and blind?
It's also about empathy or lack thereof. I could go blind tomorrow, but I can't turn black.
ReplyDelete--bad dad
A reporter asked Paterson if he'd ever gone to a prostitute. He answered: "Only a lobbyist." :P
ReplyDelete^ Even he could see that one coming. :^o
ReplyDeleteBklyn6:
ReplyDeleteHe is the 4th black American Gov in history, he is one of two who were not elected. The elected was Douglas Wilder in VA and there is Deval Patrick in Mass.