Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit Discussion

If you’re having a faith-based campaign for President, it should be no problem to fail miserably as governor of a large state and yet continue to harbor presidential aspirations. This is the path charted by George Pataki, who leaves Albany this year as one of the most unpopular governors in New York State history. Pataki is so unpopular that he didn’t even try to run for re-election this year. What’s a Pataki to do? Run for President, of course!

Pataki is one unsavory character. In his attempts to gain right wing support for a campaign for President in 2008, Pataki took many radical steps, such as vetoing legislation that would have improved access to the morning after pill as a form of emergency contraception. Pataki claimed that if he didn’t veto the legislation, teenagers across New York State might come to harm. To harm from what? Harm from not getting pregnant while still in high school? The veto was given after pressure from right wing religious groups, whom Pataki apparently regards as part of his political base.

Now it appears that Pataki’s long political maneuvering was all for naught. The Republican base doesn’t seem interested in supporting Pataki’s campaign for President anyway. Apparently, just being from New York State is reason enough not to get Republican support.

Jeff Kramer of the Syracuse Post Standard lampoons George Pataki’s rapidly sinking presidential fortunes of the Pataki for President idea in an article entitled, Support for Pataki in Iowa up in smoke. The new Republican Party chairman in New York State, Joseph Mondello, refuses to support the Pataki for President campaign.

On the blogfront, Hoffman’s Hearsay advises Pataki, “Don’t bother man, just ride off into the sunset like a good boy.” The Rock Town Blog comments, “Rumors of New York State Governor George Pataki’s larger ambitions are nothing new and have swirled for years. The real news would be if he actually had a chance.”

From the way it’s looking so far, I’d guess that George Pataki will drop out of the presidential race before he even gets the chance to throw his hat in. However, self-delusion has always been one of Pataki’s dominant personality traints, so keep an eye out for Pataki, just in case.