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).
Cuomo has been imitating his father’s Hamlet act, and knows that he’ll piss off the black establishment. I think there’s a good chance he’ll run for reelection for AG.
It doesn't really matter if Paterson steps aside gracefully or not. He can either go quietly, or be totally crushed by Cuomo in the primaries.
His choice.
An August 16 poll from Quinnipiac University has Cuomo trouncing Paterson by a massive 4 to 1 in a hypothetical primary match up next year. Its will be a massacre.
” 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.&rdquo
Can't agree with you there.
In the Quinnipiac University poll Cuomo clobbers Paterson, among black Democrats by massive 45-24 percent, so I don't see any fall out against Cuomo from blacks when he takes on and beats Paterson soundly (if Paterson runs that is.)
It's over for Paterson whatever way you slice it.
http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nypost.com%2Fseven%2F08162009%2Fnews%2Fregionalnews%2Fcuomo_clobbers_gov__poll_184773.htm
“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”
Again, it don't matter much how Cuomo gets the nomination, he is going to be very hard to beat. Plus I don't see him having any problem easily winning the nomination at all. No one is even close to him in the polls right now on the Democratic side.