'Dead Meat' Dave: 'I Think the Governor Will Decide That He's Not Going to Run'

The writing on the wall could not be any more obvious for the accidental governor.

ONE of the state's most prominent Democrats predicted yes terday that Gov. Paterson will resign before his term ends next year -- for a higher-paying job with a brighter future.

The Democrat, who has frequent contact with the governor, said he expected newly legitimized Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch to succeed the beleaguered Paterson, perhaps as soon as early spring.

"I think the governor will decide that he's not going to run," said the Democrat, citing the crushing impact of President Obama's action last week signaling that he wanted someone other than Paterson to campaign for governor next year.

"I think he's going to look around, find himself something he would like to do, and when he does, I think he'll leave," said the Democrat, who has ties to the White House.

Several Democrats said last week that Paterson, a Columbia University and Hofstra Law School graduate who flunked the bar exam, has spoken to friends about an academic "think tank" position or a high-level federal or private-sector job.

The prominent Democrat -- who is not close to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, a likely gubernatorial contender -- dismissed any notion that Paterson could recover from Obama's snub.

Things look so grim for Paterson that high-level Democrats were using such words and expressions as "finished," "dead meat," and "not among the political living" to describe the governor by week's end.

Some close to Paterson insisted the governor was "in denial," to use the words of one, and his bizarre claim yesterday on "Meet the Press" that the president hadn't told him to get out appeared to bear that out.

"It was a pathetic performance; it's like he's not willing to face the fact that he's finished," said a longtime Paterson backer.

Seems to me a perfect spot for Paterson would be as point man to "investigate" ACORN. Only a blind man couldn't see what's obvious to the rest of us.

Unless, of course, you work for the New York Times.

Paterson, meanwhile, continues to live in denial.

A beleaguered Gov. Paterson defied President Obama on national TV yesterday, insisting that New Yorkers "are the ones who should choose their governor."

In a nine-minute interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," he said the White House never gave him an "explicit indication" that he should drop out of the 2010 race for governor, although he admitted the administration had relayed concerns about his prospects.

"I'm blind, but I'm not oblivious," said Paterson, who is legally blind. "I realize that there are people that don't want me to run, but I have never gotten an explicit indication authorized from the White House that I shouldn't run."

Really? Does he not feel any ill efefcts from that bus running over him last week?

Either way, New Yorkers, be prepared to soon utter these words: Governor Ravitch.