Area Dems critical of Paterson’s performance

For New York Governor David Paterson, even his home turf is a tough spot.

West Harlem and Morningside Heights would seem to be safe political ground for Paterson, CC ‘77. He formerly represented the state senate district now served by Bill Perkins, which includes the Columbia campus and a large swath of West Harlem. His civic roots run deep in the area since his father, Basil Paterson, was West Harlem’s state senator in the 1960s and a founding member of the Harlem Clubhouse—a group including Congressman Charles Rangel which has dominated local politics for decades.

But even the staunchest area Democrats have been dissatisfied with Paterson’s performance since he was sworn in as governor in March 2008, following the resignation of Eliot Spitzer. Some said they would vote for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo—billed as Paterson’s foremost Democratic rival—in the 2010 gubernatorial primary.

“I am not happy at all with the job he’s done,” said Walter South, a member of Community Board 9 and urban planner who lives on Riverside Drive between Tiemann Place and West 129th Street. “Why should I be happy? He’s proved to be an embarrassment.”

South was in attendance at a meeting of the Broadway Democrats held on April 23 at Congregation Ramath Orah on 110th Street, where Paterson’s performance was a subject of extensive conversation and criticism.

Complaints were indicative of a larger trend that has decimated Paterson’s once-high approval ratings. A Quinnipiac survey released in early April showed that only 28 percent of registered voters in the state approved of Paterson’s performance—the lowest rating ever reported for a New York governor.

A number of factors have contributed to these poor ratings. Chief among them is the recession, which hit New York particularly hard and forced Paterson to make budget cuts in light of massive state and municipal deficits.

Paterson’s selection of former U.S. Representative Kirsten Gillibrand to fill Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s U.S. Senate seat also jeopardized his support among liberals, as Gillibrand’s views are closer to the center than the left. Others criticized the length of the selection process and Paterson’s review of Caroline Kennedy.

“Anybody in his position would have a problem with such a huge budget deficit,” Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said. “The Caroline Kennedy issue probably cost him a great deal of support in places like Morningside Heights, because the Kennedy name has a great deal of respect among liberals. But no one likes anybody when jobs are gone and times are tough—it’s hard to capture the public imagination, especially when it seems like you’re not in control.”

In recent weeks, Paterson has tried to reclaim his liberal base by introducing a bill that would legalize gay marriage. But Sheinkopf said this move was insignificant compared to the economic crisis.

“New Yorkers are generally supportive of gay marriage,” Sheinkopf said. “But eating, getting on the subway without fare increases, and preventing foreclosures are greater concerns right now.”

But Luis Roman, president of the Broadway Democrats, defended Paterson by noting the “difficult situation” presented by an uncooperative state legislature and the poor economy.
“You can count on one hand the people who have been thrust into the kind of situation that he has found himself in,” Roman said. “People here think he has been working very hard to govern. We give him the benefit of the doubt. He seems to be a very capable public servant.”

And regardless of Paterson’s current unpopularity, his future is by no means sealed.

Fourteen months remain before the 2010 gubernatorial primaries. “That is a very long time in politics,” Roman explained. “You can’t say right now what’s going to happen. He has to begin regaining trust by showing the voters he has a handle on leading Albany. Small accomplishments can give people a sense of leadership.”

Sheinkopf also emphasized that current approval ratings are not necessarily a measure of future electoral success.

“Five minutes in political life is 50 years anywhere else,” Sheinkopf said. Between now and the next elections, “anything can happen.”