David Paterson v. Michael Bloomberg
David Paterson absolutely despises Michael Bloomberg. Or at least that's the takeaway from Fred Dicker's front page "exclusive" in the Post today, which is full of vicious soundbites supposedly uttered by New York's governor, according to Dicker's unnamed sources. Paterson's tirade comes on the heels of a showdown over the fate of the city's OTB parlors. (Bloomberg wanted to shutter the chain of seedy betting dens; Paterson went around Mike to put together a last-minute reprieve.) And it certainly can't help that there's been talk that Bloomberg might make a run for Albany and challenge Paterson to the seat that landed in his lap three months ago. So is the mild-mannered governor really this furious at the mayor? Who knows, but it makes for a fantastic read:
On what exactly is going on with Bloomberg: "We have a very good example of a person who had no defects with the public, and, all of a sudden, he's self-destructing."
On what Mike thinks of outer-boroughers: "It's obvious that Bloomberg has little use for the kind of people who come from Queens and Staten Island,
On why Mike's been so crabby lately: "His presidential thing didn't work out, term limits is looming to force him out, he's waiting and waiting to be asked to be vice president, congestion pricing didn't happen, he lost teacher tenure, the Jets stadium, and OTB isn't going the way he wants it."
On Mike's similarity to his old boss: "Eliot Spitzer's tantrums were bizarre because you never knew when they were coming or why, whether it was contrived or whether he was a psycho...he has the same kind of anger that reminds you of Spitzer."
On Mike's jet-setting lifestyle: "The people of New York City may be OK with the mayor taking off and flying to his private home in Bermuda every weekend, but if he did that at the state level, I think the people would send him a different message."
On why Bloomberg's aides never challenge him on anything: "Because they're all afraid of him and his wealth."
