Irony: Only One Defending Paterson is a Republican

Now that the New York Times has built up the buzz surrounding a supposed bombshell story involving David Paterson's alleged womanizing and drug use, they'd better come up with the goods or face eternal humiliation. The hapless Paterson, who has less than a year in office anyway barring unforeseen circumstances, is completely under siege.

"For the last couple of weeks, I have been the subject of what, even by Albany standards, has been a spate of outrageous rumors about me," Paterson said.

"There is an accountability that should exist in the media. How do I get my reputation back?" the governor continued.

"Because I don't believe I have done anything to deserve this kind of bashing."

The governor said he hasn't been involved sexually with another woman since he and his wife temporarily separated more than a decade ago, an admission he made upon taking office 23 months ago.

He also said he hasn't used drugs since his early 20s.

And he portrayed himself as something of a homebody -- claiming that he has eaten away from home or outside the Executive Mansion in Albany only five times in his tenure.

Meanwhile, Paterson is meeting up with honchos at the Times in some apparently futile hope of staving off the supposed bombshell story.

Paterson met with the Times' editorial board yesterday to discuss state politics and in an effort, according to one insider, to "soften the big shots at the paper up."

Sources said Paterson plans to meet today with the paper's editors and reporters in hopes of heading off a damaging story.

Meanwhile, State Police sources accused the Paterson administration of trying to prevent more leaks by transferring 10 troopers, including one captain, from the governor's security detail last week.

"They're trying to smoke out the leaker," a police-union source said. "What they don't realize it's almost everybody on the detail because everyone's sick of his behavior."

So with his inner circle, police detail, other state Democrats and the White House all trying to push the guy off the cliff, it's supremely ironic the only one on record defending Paterson turns out to be a Republican.

It was left to Paterson's newest chief political ally to offer a, uh, reasoned defense of the embattled Democratic governor, one free of conspiracy theories and bogus enemies.

"If The New York Times is working on or has a story, then you should confirm or print it," Rick Lazio, the all-but-certain Republican candidate for governor, demanded of Times Executive Editor Bill Keller.

"If you do not, then you have a moral obligation to stop the drama and the psychological warfare on Gov. Paterson."

Remarkably in this current climate, Paterson does have an impending announcement: He's running this year.

Amid churning doubts over his political future, New York Gov. David Paterson has told one of his closest advisers that he will officially announce his campaign for governor next week.

William Lynch, a Harlem lobbyist and political aide, said Mr. Paterson will give a "major statement on why he's running" and will travel around the state to make clear his intentions. "He's running," Mr. Lynch said.

I just hope for his sake he watches where he eats while he's traveling around the state.