Yes, it's time for another installment in the expanding file about media stories marked "Who the hell cares?".

In this case, the story - here's an extended discussion of it - that David Paterson supposedly

described Mayor Bloomberg in private as a volatile, Spitzerian, untrustworthy, out-of-touch, self-destructive billionaire bully.

Even if true, who. The. Hell. Cares?

Seriously?

This is the kind of media circus that prompts voters to despair. It's not as if there's a war on, and maybe the economy isn't really collapsing, maybe we don't have over 4,000 dead Americans (and dead Iraqis in their thousands, but we don't even count them), a President who broke the laws of the land with impunity, global warming, 4,000 kids in Brooklyn who don't even know whether or where they'll be going to school next year, the list goes on.

Today in the New York Post newspaper, columnist Fred Dicker sure lived up to his last name, since someone is surely going to get screwed by his front-page article. He reported that N.Y. Governor David Paterson said that, “Mayor Michael Bloomberg (NYC) is a nasty, tantrum-prone liar”. Dicker further states that Paterson claimed, “It is obvious that Bloomberg has little use for the kind of people who comes from Queens and Staten Island”. He further says of Bloomberg, that “you can’t trust him”. Look, I am not going to rehash the history of this dust-up; you can do your own research by going through the last four weeks of newspapers in this naked city. Also, I am not going to repeat all that Dicker claimed to have been said by our Cinderella governor (including the Spitzer comparison); go buy the paper yourself. I am however, going to accept (for now) that all of Dicker’s statements are true; at least until they are refuted or disclaimed by the governor.

Didn’t I warn you folks ‘bout them Harlem boys? As I told you: they “aint” easy. They are unafraid to throw a punch; unlike these elected wimps we have from Brooklyn (well, with the exception of Kevin Parker; I guess/lol). And finally this past weekend, out steps “Mr. Lucky” (N.Y. Governor David Paterson), and he goes straight upside Mayor Bloomberg’s head; right on the heels of Bad Boy Billy Perkins (see my column from last week). There must be something in that uptown water folks, we need to check it out; we need to import some to Brooklyn.

For those who were away for Father’s Day weekend, let me fill you in. Paterson’s people and Bloomberg’s people have been involved in protracted negotiations, to save the jobs of the fifteen-hundred-odd NYC Off Track Betting Corporation’s employees. These OTB folks were hanging in the wind for quite some time now, as the mayor and governor pondered what to do, about what was probably the only bookie operation in the world to be losing money. Bloomberg had been threatening for years to close down the operation. In fact over his tenure as mayor of NYC, he has appointed more than one inept deputy to oversee OTB; they dug deeper holes for the corporation as if deliberately trying to ground the organization. If you think I am lying, then go ask any OTB staff person to tell you the truth (off the record/ since many are intimidated). I have been hearing these grumblings for years; from clerks, district-managers, branch-managers, tellers, technical staff, custodians and the like.

The New Yotk Times released a new poll of the state today with some mixed and worrying messages for the state's governing class.

Forty-nine percent of respondents approved of his job performance, and only 16 percent disapproved. Still, Mr. Paterson is largely unknown to New Yorkers, and more than a third of those polled did not express an opinion. And nearly 60 percent of those polled said the state was on the wrong track, expressing a view less bleak than Americans have shown in nationwide polls concerning the country’s direction, but still indicating widespread pessimism.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's approval rating among New Yorkers of color has crashed from just under 90% (in 2006) to 55%. Barack Obama leads John McCain by landslide margins among all New Yorkers, 51% to 32%.

The state legislature, never popular as a body, has tanked in the public's mind: 29% approve, 47% disapprove, and 23% don't know enough about it to even have the luxury of an opinion. Of course, because legislators draw their own districts for the Assembly, there's not much to be done about that, other than by electing a Democratic Senate. Unfortunately, New Yorkers also reject control of both houses of the legislature by one party, 60% opposed, 34% in favor.

Via email from Matt Browner Hamlin comes this:

If you support gay marriage...

Governor Paterson has said that NY will recognize legal same-sex marriages from other states and countries. He's doing a poll on whether people support it. If you're interested in taking 15 seconds to lodge your support, just call 1-518-474-8390 and say 'I support the Governor's directive on marriage,' then give them your 5 digit (New York) zip code.

The number reaches the Executive Chamber. Let them know that you support equality for all New Yorkers.

(Of course, if you don't, that would be an opportunity to also air your case for whites-only drinking fountains. Your call, but it's the same principle.)

Governor Paterson has instructed state agencies to begin recognizing same-sex unions performed in other jurisdictions, domestic and foreign, in the state of New York.

In a directive issued on May 14, the governor’s legal counsel, David Nocenti, instructed the agencies that gay couples married elsewhere “should be afforded the same recognition as any other legally performed union.”

The revisions are most likely to involve as many as 1,300 statutes and regulations in New York governing everything from joint filing of income tax returns to transferring fishing licenses between spouses. [Emph. added]

Think about that for a moment: everything from income tax returns to fishing licenses presently treats gay and straight New Yorkers differently. Think about that massive legal disability when next you see a republican election mailer complaining about the 'special rights' gay people supposedly seek.

The big talked-about piece of the day, even at this early hour, is clearly The New York Times depiction of what it calls Détente in Albany, between a mild-mannered Governor Paterson and an ebullient Joe Bruno.

The shift is noticeable in many ways. Mr. Paterson waved through pork-barrel spending bills that provided $350 million apiece to Mr. Bruno’s Senate and to Assembly Democrats. Mr. Paterson’s predecessor, Eliot Spitzer, held up the legislation for months. Mr. Paterson has also abandoned Mr. Spitzer’s insistence that Republicans agree to legislation limiting campaign contributions.

He consults regularly with Mr. Bruno, whom Mr. Spitzer had stopped speaking to altogether, visiting his office to chat about legislation and talking on the telephone with him several times a week.

In doing so, Mr. Paterson has changed the tone in the capital from one of combat and animosity to one that is joshing and affectionate, a marked shift from Mr. Spitzer’s rough-and-tumble approach in trying to overhaul one of the nation’s most reform-resistant statehouses.

That's roughly as naked a description of Senate republicans' raison d'être as you're ever likely to encounter in a family newspaper. Give them their member items, and you'll be surprised how quickly the rancor quiets down.

Dear Media,

yes, we get it, he had some fun on the side. Yes, people understand that since he told you the story first, you have to report it. Yes, of course, this is an awesome, titillating story so soon after that other unpleasantness. And absolutely, his wife did some dallying too, as we now know. This matters, to someone, I'm sure.

Sure, it's understandable that you'd overlook the fact that the Patersons - like the Spitzers - have children, children who are probably being traumatized into years of therapy even as we speak.

But seriously, is this what you really have to give wood to on his first full day day in office? And by wood, I mean frontpage hundred and twenty point type?

Can't you every once in a while, instead of telling us who's up and who's down, who's doing who for how much and how often, report on stuff that matters? There's a budget to be produced. That matters. That budget has a 4.4 billion dollar gap. That matters, too, and even more, what matters is how it gets closed.

There's more to cover, no question. Our legislature is a laughingstock. Upstate is rotting before our eyes. The Senate is about to flip - what does that mean? Why is this important?

So much to write about, and this - this! - is what consumes the entire news cycle? Come. On. Seriously?

Welcome, Governor Paterson: New York's Progressive Community stands with you.

Statement on the accession of Governor Paterson by New York's Progressive community

New York, March 17th, 2008 – For Immediate Release

The Progressive community of New York State – activists, bloggers, fundraisers, organizers, ordinary men and women from all walks of life – welcomes our new Governor, David Paterson, as he assumes our state's highest office. We recognize that Governor Paterson is the first person of color to hold the office of Governor of New York and the first legally blind person to ever hold the office of Governor in the history of the United States. We are inspired by his life achievements to date, by his impressive and daring record of reform, and we are supremely confident that he is ready to lead our state.

We understand that Governor Paterson will face challenges and opportunities as he takes office. Our new Governor's long history of working with all stake holders will prove a valuable asset in delivering for New Yorkers. We believe that both houses of our legislature require drastic changes in their operations. Transparency and open government still elude our state, and too often, our citizens are shut out of decisions that affect our lives. The voices of too many New Yorkers still do not get heard in our state Capitol. These things must change. Governor Paterson's distinguished record of reform gives us great confidence that he will be an agent of this change.

The Progressive community of New York State is ready to support our new Governor in bringing about the change New York needs; the change that New Yorkers voted for in the 2006 election. After the trials of the recent past, we believe that New Yorkers want Governor Paterson to step forward with a bold plan for change that returns our government to our people and creates a better future for all New Yorkers. We look forward to working with our new Governor as we build a lasting Progressive majority, in Albany and around the state, conversation by conversation, vote by vote, district by district, until New York is again a beacon of Progressive governance bright enough to illuminate our entire nation.

As we look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead, our thoughts are with Governor Eliot Spitzer and his family in their difficult time. We salute Governor Spitzer's achievements, and wish him and his family the best.

Signatories after the jump.

The Spitzer scandal and resignation probably still has a few days to go - Sex! Money! Power! Fall from Grace! Read All About It! - and there are a few gems in the flood of dross.

The Nation profiles incoming Governor David Paterson.

Feministing spotlights the harrowing tale of Dr. Laura Schlesinger, who has found the root cause of the Spitzer scandal: Silda.

"When the wife does not focus in on the needs and the feelings, sexually, personally, to make him feel like a man, to make him feel like a success, to make him feel like her hero, he’s very susceptible to the charm of some other woman making him feel what he needs,”

Oh, fuck you, Dr. Laura.

Scott Horton in The New Republic asks "Was the investigation of Eliot Spitzer politically motivated?" Look for that story to not be picked up by the Times, Post, News, and so on.

Just wrong: The New York Times finds the young woman at the center of the affair, complete with links to her freaking MySpace page. In contrast to the Horton piece, look for this story to be picked up by every media outlet under the sun.

Well, this is awesome. With Eliot Spitzer's resignation expected today and effective Monday, we have a new governor: David Paterson.

We also have a new lieutenant governor: Joe Bruno.

The lieutenant governor fulfills the duties of the office of the governor whenever the governor is incapacitated or outside the state, per Article IV, paragraph 5 of the state constitution.

In case the governor is impeached, is absent from the state or is otherwise unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor, the lieutenant-governor shall act as governor until the inability shall cease or until the term of the governor shall expire.

Joe Bruno is now the lieutenant governor. And that means that a man currently under Federal investigation for corruption will be, at various points over the next few years, the acting governor of the state of New York, whenever David Paterson leaves the state, say, to give testimony to Congress.

We just wasted the biggest electoral victory in the history of the state of New York. It's totally okay to begin throwing up right about now.