David Patterson's Chatastrophic January

David Patterson may have ruined his political future this month, not to mention put a Democratic US Senate seat at risk in the 2010 election.  I can't re-hash the entire story.  But I can offer some highlights and reactions.

Let's begin with an event that the vat majority of NY State residents have forgotten - the governor's State of the State speech.  According to insiders, the Governor spent over 60 hours writing and memorizing the speech, which the governor later confirmed.  After it received mainly bad reviews, the governor publicly stated that he was ill the day he delivered the speech.

Allow me to put-aside the poor judgement and lack of politician-grade speaking skills ('you know') of Caroline Kennedy.  And I'll put-aside the governor's selection of Congresswoman Kristen Gillibrand.

Here's just a sample from the mainstream NY press on how Patterson's month began with a forgettable speech and ended with him putting both a Democratic Senate seat and his own tenure as Governor at risk.

NY Daily News:  Caroline Kennedy was in over her head, but Gov. David Paterson crew stoops low

Paterson's brain trust didn't think to circulate a 28-page questionnaire to the candidates until early January. Later, though, the governor admitted he had not read the answers.

He refused to share a blank copy of the form with the public. Yet when a world-famous candidate filled one out, her sensitive answers got to the press.NY Daily News:

By asking if she could, rather than saying she wanted to be considered, Paterson immediately felt she wasn't really interested, the source said.

In meetings, the governor and his aides decided she had no political depth, the source said.NY Times (registration required):  In Selection Mess, Paterson Dug Hole Deeper

Some were unusually open in questioning the approach — and judgment — of the governor and the people around him.NY Post:  GOV SAYS CAROLINE TURNED 'NASTY'

Then, he said, he couldn't get her on the phone for hours.

"He was absolutely frustrated that he couldn't reach her," the guest said of how Paterson described the scene. "He thought maybe she was sick. He felt she was being nasty to him, that she showed great disrespect."
Miscommunication happens at all levels in this advanced electronic age.  But in retrospect, if Governor Patterson needed to track-down Ms. Kennedy at a critical time, he had several options and resources available to him.  He has staff in New York City who could have tracked her down.  He knew her address.  He even has a private train that can transport him to Penn Station in just over 2 hours.  For him to be upset that he couldn't call her back, then make his selection anyway, and then allow his staff to insult Ms. Kennedy as the process came to a close is simply unacceptable, and may surely cost the governor his first formal bid for election in November 2010.  For a man who has a reputation of being professional, humorous, and fair, this month has shown us a David Patterson who has been anything but.