There is simply NO WAY Paterson wins the Democratic nomination against Cuomo. If by some miracle, Paterson were to win the Democratic nomination, he'd get slaughtered in the elections.
Meanwhile, Giuliani has yet to confirm that he's going to run. He's been playing coy as usual. And even if Giuliani runs, he's going to find it pretty hard to beat Cuomo. As for Hilary, I really doubt if she even wants to be Governor of any state. She still wants the presidency, and is secretly glad 0bama is slashing and burning.
Unless someone has dirt on Paterson on the Dem side, I don't see him necessarily gracefully stepping aside. Cuomo wants the nomination, but he wants it without getting his hands dirty. He knows if he takes on Paterson head-on, he'll harm his standing with Black voters, and while they may not flock to the Republican candidate, they could angrily sit out the general, and that's not something Cuomo can afford.
"Meanwhile, Giuliani has yet to confirm that he's going to run. He's been playing coy as usual. And even if Giuliani runs, he's going to find it pretty hard to beat Cuomo."
Depends upon how Cuomo gets the nomination, if he does. I think Cuomo's popularity is highly overinflated, and he's never faced a serious opponent.
"As for Hilary, I really doubt if she even wants to be Governor of any state. She still wants the presidency, and is secretly glad 0bama is slashing and burning."
Of course she doesn't want the Governorship, any more than she wanted the Senate seat (no more than Slick Willard in MA), these were all nothing but stepping stones to the Presidency. One thing Giuliani could use against her, if she takes out Paterson, is to hit her repeatedly that she has no intention of staying in Albany, and wants to take on a damaged Zero in '12 (that'll REALLY go over well with Black NY voters).