Paterson Accuses Media Of Racism, Says 2010 Loss Would Be 'Highest Honor' August 21, 2009
Gov. David Paterson played the race card in a big way today, suggesting he is facing tougher questions about his performance and political viability than the governors of most other struggling states because he is black. During a wide-ranging interview with DN columnist and radio personality Errol Louis this morning, Paterson said he feels he feels an effort is being "orchestrated" to get him to bow out of the 2010 race. Paterson alleged he and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick - both of whom are the first African Americans to hold their respective positions and are tanking in the polls - are being treated unfairly by the media due to the color of their skin. The governor said he thinks the same thing is happening to the nation's first black president, Barack Obama, who also seen his approval rating drop due to his controversial efforts to overhaul the health care system. "This state is not in the trouble that Michigan is in, Pennsylvania is in and Massachusetts is in, but you don’t see in those other states this crescendo about getting rid of the governor just because we’re in a recession," Paterson told Louis this morning on AM 1600 WWRL.
"And I submit that the same kind of treatment that Deval Patrick is receiving right now in Massachusetts, and I’m receiving; the way in which the New York State Senate was written about, calling them a bunch of people with thick necks - they’re talking about Malcolm Smith and John Sampson - that we’re not in the post-racial period." "And the reality is that the next victim on the list - and you see it coming - is President Barack Obama, who did nothing more than try to reform a health care system that’s now 10 percent of GDP and will be 20 percent of GDP in the next four years only because he’s trying to make change.".............>>>>....................>>>>...............http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/08/paterson-accuses-media-of-raci.html
By VALERIE BAUMAN, Associated Press Last updated: 6:55 p.m., Friday, August 21, 2009
ALBANY -- New York Gov. David Paterson said Friday that the media has exploited racial stereotypes in coverage of him, President Barack Obama and fellow black Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts.
Paterson issued a statement disputing reports that he accused media outlets of racism during a Friday morning radio interview. The governor denied that he intended to say that recent negative stories about him reflected racial bias, but he added that coverage of black officials hasn't been fair.
"My feeling is that it's being orchestrated, it's a game, and people who pay attention know that," Paterson said on radio station WWRL-AM in New York City.
He said even black media outlets "from our own community buy the public line, which is: 'We're going to get rid of David Paterson.'"
Later, Paterson issued a statement to clarify his on-air comments.
"At no point did I claim that this media piling-on effect was due to race -- elected officials of all races get piled on by the media all the time," Paterson said in the written statement. "What I did point out was that certain media outlets have engaged in coverage that exploits racial stereotypes. That's not only unfair -- it's wrong -- and it sends an objectionable message."
"We have a long way to go to achieve a truly post-racial society," he said.
He said one stereotype was a tabloid report that referred to some black Senate staff members as people with thick necks. Paterson also referenced critical coverage of his appearance at a late-night night club event for BET, the Black Entertainment Television cable channel..............>>>>................>>>>.............http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=833849
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