All Over Albany

Speed reading the coverage of David Paterson

We've read (too) much of the reaction to David Paterson's decision to exit the race for the governor.

Here are a bunch of the quick-scan highlights -- about lame duck status, Paterson's work habits, calls for resignation, the budget, Andrew Cuomo and... yet another SNL skit.

Lame duck?

Without having to worry about the election, the TU's James Odato writes that David Paterson can focus on the budget -- if the legislature will work with him. [TU]

Paterson is now "unshackled," writes the Buffalo News' Tom Precious -- and the governor has "the rare opportunity for a New York chief executive to push an agenda void of political calculations and to push an agenda about spending, taxes and social policies purely on citizen needs." [Buffalo News]

Unnamed staffers and senators say they doubt Paterson has the "work ethic" to actually get anything done now that he's not running for re-election. [NYDN]

Unnamed former aides say Paterson has become detached, prone to tantrums and "mercurial." [NY Post]

The budget

David Paterson's now-lame duck status could lead to a very weird and difficult state budget process. [AP/Post-Star]

Sheldon Silver said this weekend that he think lieutenant governor Richard Ravitch should head up the budget process for the administration. [NYDN]

A handful of state senators have also joined this call, including Neil Breslin. [TU]

Jay Gallagher: "Say what you want about Gov. David Paterson. But so far in the debate over the state budget, he has been the one with his foot on the spending brake." [TU]

Resign?

Paterson vowed on Friday that he would serve out his term -- on Monday he said the possibility of resignation is "off the table." [NYT]

Neil Breslin on New York Now on whether Paterson should resign:

Said Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester): "If he's qualified to serve, he's qualified to run. If he's not qualified to run, he's not qualified to serve." [NYT]

Fred Lebrun: "David Paterson should resign as governor and be done with it." [TU]

Rod Blagojevich to Paterson: "Don't let these powerful people push you aside." [Daily Politics]

In considering the Eliot Spitzer quick resignation against Paterson's vow to stay, NYT's Jim Dwyer writes: "In place of real engagement, Albany has a cult of faux piety that is deranged." [NYT]

The downfall

The AP's Michael Gormley: Paterson's "inspiring, tumultuous political rise and fall is ending under the weight of suspicion that he chose personal loyalty over the integrity of his office..." [AP/Post-Star]

Paterson reportedly thinks that Sheldon Silver has been working to oust him for the last few months. [NY Post]

NY Mag's Chris Rovzar on the role of NYT and the bombshell story rumors: "Whatever the story behind the original rumors was originally intended to be, it couldn't have been the one that ended up taking down Paterson." [NY Mag]

Andrew Cuomo

Jimmy Vielkind: "The question has now officially shifted from "if" to "when" for Cuomo" and a run for governor. [TU]

Rick Lazio -- the presumptive Republican nominee governor -- called out Cuomo: "I think the time is now for people to ask the tough questions." [Buffalo News]

Lazio also says someone other than Cuomo should head up the investigation of Paterson. [Fox NY]

Baruch College political scientist Doug Muzzio on Cuomo vs. Lazio: "It's Muhammad Ali versus Chuck Wepner, the Bayonne Bleeder."

With Cuomo (presumably) at the head of the ticket, local county Democratic leaders think other Dem candidates will have a better chance. [TU]

Collateral damage

A former Spitzer and Paterson aide on the State Police and their alleged involvement with this most recent situation -- and other scandals during the last few years: "Taken together it is an indictment against the organization as a whole." [NYT]

The Paterson drama could set back the resolution of the Aqueduct racino contract -- money from which is slated to be used on upgrades at Saratoga. [Saratogian]

Upside?

No more David Paterson SNL skits?

Key line: "Andrew, if you're in Albany I can recommend a great place for dinner -- Manhattan."