Responding to pressure from Governor Paterson and Mayor Bloomberg, the Port Authority is promising to finish the 9/11 memorial in time for the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack that felled the twin towers. In June, Paterson said the redevelopment of the 16-acre site was over budget and behind schedule, and he ordered the Port Authority to hammer out a plan to get at least part of the job done by 2011. Port Authority officials......

The NY Sun finds that this week's meltdown of financial markets has helped "David Paterson has [emerge] as a governor determined to seize the moment, establish his authority, and put to rest lingering doubts that a formerly obscure lieutenant governor could flourish on the national stage." To wit, on Tuesday, after the stock market fell 510 points, he appeared on a number of TV and radio shows, implored the feds to help AIG, and stressed......

After allowing troubled insurer A.I.G. to borrow $20 billion from itself (and emphasizing that "No taxpayer dollars are involved"), Governor Paterson turned his attention to what the Wall Street woes might mean for the state as a whole. And he told NY1's Dominic Carter, "We don't know what the damage of the events that occurred this weekend is. I would not be surprised if the budget deficit we just cut down may skyrocket back up......

Governor Paterson used his trademark sense of humor during his opening remarks at the ServiceNation Summit last night....

Photograph from the Low Library steps from Bwog We're at Columbia University for the ServiceNation Summit. Security is tight--university entrances are closed to students and Columbia employees only--and students are sitting outside to watch a livefeed of the forum in the middle of campus. The forum with Barack Obama and John McCain will air at 8 p.m. on CNN, MSNBC, and some PBS stations. You can also watch it online at the ServiceNation website.......

Governor David Paterson stepped into the presidential election fray yesterday, when he said at a Crain's Buiness Forum, "There are overtones of potential racial coding in the campaign... The Republican Party is too smart to call Barack Obama 'black.' But you can take something about his life, which I noticed they did at the Republican convention. A 'community organizer.' They kept saying it, they kept laughing, like what does this mean?" The McCain camp retorted......

While he didn't have a prime time speaking spot like Senator Hillary Clinton did, Governor David Paterson did get a chance to speak at the Democratic National Convention yesterday. It was only for 4 minutes at 5:50 p.m. (and his theme music was "New York, New York"), but he made the best of it, even joking during applause and chants of his name during his entrance, "Thank you, my time is up!" The NY Times......

If you have a question for Governor David Paterson, WCBS 880 is taking questions before its 4 p.m. live interview with him. So far, the questions are about medical liability reform and the Atlantic Yards project. You'll be able to listen to the interview here. And in tangential governor news, horses named "Luv Gov" and "Ninth Client" ran at Saratoga these past few days--Ninth Client was tied for first yesterday.......

After noting that the NY State is facing a fiscal crisis on Tuesday, Governor David Paterson took the bad news to Washington D.C. Paterson said at the National Press Club that the federal government needs to help invest in things like infrastructure, schools, mass transit and job training, pointing out NY State sent $82.6 billion more to D.C. than it got back. Senator Chris Dodd told the NY Times, though, there just isn't money. On......

Governor Paterson gave a rare televised address this afternoon, asking state lawmakers to head back to Albany for an emergency session to discuss the state deficit. Paterson said the deficit had gone up $1.4 billion in 90 days, from $5 billion to its current $6.4 billion. Here's his text, via the Times-Union:“The fact is, we confront harsh times. Let me be honest. This situation will get worse before it gets better. “My message to the......

Governor David Paterson may have become governor unexpectedly, but it looks like he's looking to have a longer legacy than his predecessor: Paterson for Governor announced it "raised more than $3,200,000 over a two month period from more than 600 contributors and would show a cash-on-hand balance of over $3 million. " The Sun suggests this is impressive, given that former Governor Spitzer raised about the same amount during during the first half of 2007,......

Representative Charles Rangel isn't so happy with the New York Times: The Gray Lady revealed the high-ranking Congressman has four rent-stabilized apartments at Lenox Terrace, the Harlem development where Governor David Paterson also lives (Paterson only has one rent-stabilized apartment, though). The NY Times reports three of the apartments were combined to make one 2,500 square foot apartment on the 16th floor, while a fourth apartment serves as his campaign office "despite state and......

Photograph of the World Trade Center site, taken by Joe Woolhead, courtesy of Silverstein Properties The Port Authority released its status report of sorts about World Trade Center rebuilding, and it's a document (PDF) that grimly forecasts lots of patience and money--along with the difficulties--needed to see the whole thing through and. PA Executive Director Christopher Ward prefaces his assessment with a note that highlights how previous costs and rebuilding timeline estimates were not......

Even a downpour couldn't stop the Gay Pride March down Fifth Avenue yesterday, which attracted half a million participants and an estimated million spectators. Besides the costumed performers, motorcyclists, bands and floats, elected officials were part of the parade. Along with Mayor Bloomberg and Senator Schumer, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Governor David Paterson marched and spoke out on behalf of gay rights. Paterson, who has been very supportive of gay rights, was welcomed......

Governor David Paterson says he's doing fine after cataract surgery yesterday at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. WNBC caught up with him after the 90-minute procedure, and the Governor urged everyone to have their cataracts removed, since it's such an easy procedure. This is the fourth eye-related surgery Paterson has had in six weeks. On May 20, he was admitted to Mount Sinai for "migraine-like symptoms" which were actually caused by a glaucoma on his......

Note to MTA board members: Think before you speak! Maybe even pre-think before you think! MTA Board Vice Chairman David Mack has learned this lesson, maybe, after his controversial, elitist remarks explaining why he would fight for unrestricted free E-Z pass usage, "Why should I ride [the train] and inconvenience myself when I can ride in a car?" Background: Attorney General Andrew Cuomo questioned the MTA's decision to give E-Z passes to former and......

A last-minute deal was worked out between Governor David Paterson and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to save Off-track Betting, but the road to the agreement was rocky. Bloomberg had been unhappy with how OTB provides money for the state but the city ends up subsidizing it, thanks to a formula that gives the state a cut of revenues (not profit). According to the NY Times, the city will now "earn some $4 million from the winning-bets......

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani's name is being mentioned again as a possible candidate for governor in 2010. While the earlier speculation and rumors were due to the nuttiness of Eliot Spitzer's resignation and current Governor David Paterson's confessions (dames, drugs), this time it's because Rudy's strategist Anthony Carbonetti may be in line to head the state GOP. Current state GOP Chairman Joe Mondello has been under attack after the Republicans' dwindling representation both in the......

Governor David Paterson is resting after undergoing a second eye surgery (earlier this week, doctors found he had acute glaucoma in his left eye that left him with migraine-like symptoms, which Paterson said was more like eye-strain), but he's probably feeling a little heat over his remarks to WAMC-FM about Hillary Clinton and her campaign. He said of New York's junior senator, "I would say at this point we're starting to see a little desperation......

Governor David Paterson checked into Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan for "migraine-like symptoms." According to the Governor's office, "He was evaluated and all preliminary tests were normal. He is now resting comfortably and will undergo further tests during the course of the day." Paterson turns 54 today. The AP says his health has "been a concern in recent years"--he was hospitalized last July when he fainted and in April 2006 for chest pains--but test......

Governor David Paterson explained possible rumormongering by the state police was why he admitted his extramarital affairs and drug use shortly after taking office. Yes--Paterson was essentially afraid of the NY State Police! When being interviewed on WFAN-AM and questioned about Spitzer administration's monitoring of State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno's aircraft activity, Paterson said, "I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I will say this: That was also on my mind......

The past few weeks may have been full of Governor David Paterson's admissions over extramarital affairs and drug use, but Paterson has still been hailed as exactly what New York needs as a leader right now. However, his role in directing at least $150,000 in state funds to a hospital that hired his wife to lobby the state for money gets the once-over in the NY Times today. Paterson arranged for his wife, Michelle Paige......

Perhaps realizing he's best received as a leader in a time of crisis and disarray--and no stranger to cheating on his wife while in public office--former Mayor Rudy Giuliani may offer himself as a candidate for governor in the case Governor David Paterson has to step down. Paterson was ushered abruptly into office after revelations of Eliot Spitzer's consorting with literal, rather than political and figurative, whores. In his first two weeks in office, Paterson......

Photograph of Governor Paterson by Mike Groll/AP Let's review Governor David Paterson's first week: Last SATURDAY As lieutenant governor/ governor-to-be, he speaks at the site of the fatal Turtle Bay crane collapse. MONDAY Morning: He is sworn in as the 55th governor and receives standing ovation and good will from all. Evening: He and his wife each admit to having extramarital affairs to the Daily News; Paterson only mentions a relationship with one woman.......

The Saga of Love Gov, Part 2 continues with Governor Paterson's admission he may have used a campaign credit card to pay for a hotel room, but charged it as "constituent services." Say it all together now: "That's some 'constituent services'!" Paterson told the Daily News, "I do remember that there was a time I might have had to use the [campaign] card because my other [personal] card didn't work," but the News found "a......

Governor David Paterson hoped his and his wife's admission that they had extramarital affairs meant that everyone could move on. Other politicians certainly want to move on and constituents generally don't think it's a big deal (Hookergate fatigue?), but now that the tabloids have license to run with it, it means details (and long cover headlines) galore! One of the women Paterson had an affair with worked for under Governor Spitzer, when Spitzer was......

During his first full day as Governor, David Paterson and his wife Michelle held a press conference discussing their infidelities, with Paterson explaining, "I didn't want it hanging over my head. I didn't want to be compromised." Honest? Yes. Bizarre? that too! Following up on their joint interview in today's Daily News, Paterson admitted to having many affairs, but apparently only after learning wife Michelle had been unfaithful. Paterson said, "The fact is for my......

Photograph of Paterson, with wife Michelle, stepdaughter Ashley and son Alexander, by Mary Altaffer/AP Just hours after becoming the 55th Governor of NY State, David Paterson and his wife Michelle have admitted to both have extramarital affairs during a rough patch in their marriage. Their joint interview appears in the Daily News, in an article written by columnist Juan Gonzalez. Apparently the Patersons wanted to preempt any further rumors and speculation about affairs. From......

Photograph of Hillary Clinton by HansPennink/AP, photograph of Michael Bloomberg by Tim Roske/AP If it's St. Patrick's Day, it's time for politicians to break out green accessories! At Governor Paterson's swearing-in, Senator Hillary Clinton wore a green shamrock scarf while Mayor Michael Bloomberg wore a green striped tie. It's unclear what kind of socks the Mayor was wearing, but he usually coordinates for March 17 by wearing green socks. But it was a mixed......

Photograph of Paterson being sworn in by Chief Judge Judith Kaye by Mary Altaffer/AP David Paterson was sworn in at NY State's 55th governor today, in the standing-room State Assembly chambers and those gathered gave him a two-minute standing ovation, "David! David! David!" In his speech, Paterson said, "In so many ways we woke this morning to a not so ordinary day. Today like we always do, in spite of the obstacles or circumstances.........