The Eye

As Paterson contemplated appointing a new lieutenant governor last week, Cuomo issued a statement not only calling the move unconstitutional, but also a "political ploy." Here's part of it:

In sum, we understand the apparent political convenience of the proponents' theory due to the current Senate circumstances. In our view, however, it is not constitutional. In addition, contrary to the proponents' goal, we believe it would not provide long term political stability but rather the opposite, by involving the Governor in a political ploy that would wind through the courts for many months.

Perhaps folks simply are blunter in New York, writes Goodman, but typically when attorneys general offer legal advice, they don't use terms like "political ploy." And, while many (perhaps most), legal experts in New York agree with Cuomo that the appointment is unconstitutional, the move wasn't without respectable supporters. Good government groups were the ones pushing Paterson to appoint a lieutenant governor.

This was a fairly aggressive move by Cuomo -- a sign, perhaps, that he's taking a tougher stance against Paterson, his fellow Democrat.

Everyone assumes that Cuomo wants to be governor. The unpopular Paterson, though, hasn't shown any willingness to step aside. Cuomo may be realizing that if he wants the Democratic nomination for governor, he's going to have to fight for it.