....Then again, this has always been speculated since....since I first found out who our governor was, moreso since 2001.
And now my sister and brother-in-law aren't going to stop talk about out.
New York Governor Won't Run Again
ALBANY, N.Y. - Republican George Pataki, who brought down Democratic icon Mario Cuomo in 1994 to become governor of New York, said Wednesday he will not seek a fourth term next year and "come 2007, I will follow a new path, find new challenges."
While Pataki is eyeing a possible run for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, he told The Associated Press "that's for down the road. I'm not ruling anything in or out."
Later, the nation's longest currently serving governor told several hundred cheering supporters and state employees at the Capitol that he will call it quits after three terms.
Pataki said he was pleased with the state of the state.
"We've done a lot together, and yet there is always more to do," he said.
Recent polls in New York showed Pataki trailing state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, in a possible 2006 gubernatorial matchup. The governor's approval rating slipped to an all-time low among New York voters earlier this year.
Democrats were quick to claim that Pataki was getting out while he could, and some Republicans shared that feeling.
"We should all be clear about this if he thought he could be re-elected, he'd run again," said Howard Wolfson, a strategist for the state Democratic Party.
"George Pataki both defeated Mario Cuomo and learned from Mario Cuomo," added Republican strategist Nelson Warfield. "Cuomo left office seeking a fourth term and went out a loser. Now George Pataki will retire from state politics undefeated."
Pataki said he simply felt it was the "right time" to step aside.
"We've been through very tough times since 2001," he told the AP, referring to the terrorist attacks that brought down the World Trade Center towers and killed nearly 3,000 people. "And now I can look at the future of the state with the confidence that you should have."
Pataki was to meet with top financial supporters, who could bankroll a presidential bid, Wednesday night in New York City.
Pataki loyalists have talked up his chances of winning the presidency, but Warfield said the governor's liberal bent on social issues he supports abortion and gay rights would not sell in the heartland.
"I think he has very limited appeal as a national candidate, as a Republican," said Warfield, a top aide to Bob Dole during Dole's unsuccessful 1996 presidential run.
Nonetheless, House Speaker Dennis Hastert called Pataki "a true public servant," and said he "has a bright future in the Republican Party."
......Urgh.
I'm sorry, but this guy isn't exactly what one would call good president material. Trust me, I know what I am saying; I live in New York. xX
Him or Hillary. Him or Hillary...well darnit someone has to come out of New York, I'd prefer him to Hillary any day...he might have stiff competition. I hear the Republicans may try to push CO governer Bill Owens, who is seen as a rising star in the GOP so...it'll be an interesting election...
I unfortunately don't know a lot about Pataki, but from what you two are saying, he seems to be another RINO (Republican in Name Only).
Still, I doubt he'd be worse than Hillary. Then again, I could be wrong.
It depends on what you mean by RINO. Many Republicans in NY wouldn't be Republicans in certain other states based on their views on social issues, however they could be on economic issues.
Pataki isn't like Bloomberg, the NYC mayor that was a lifelong Democrat but knew he couldn't win the Democratic primary so switched his party affiliation to Republican and then ran on the Republican line and won the race. Bloomberg is a real RINO.
Pataki couldn't win the nomination anyway. The socially conservative element of the Republican party wouldn't like him much.
Say what? What teh heck are they talking about?
I don't think Pataki is really ready to deal with the nation. Sure-he did pretty well with NY ever since I can remember {Who remembers Ed Coch? Who remembers Cuomo? What what what?} but even so, I doubt he'll want to deal with the whole nation. As TR stated, he wouldn't be seen as a Republican in Texas or most of the Pacific Northwest. Get eaten alive he would 
He'll probably go like, try to get some Senate Seat or something. As for Hillary...eh let her try. Why not have her run for presidency and then we can see if married couples think alike.
Side note: Can't stand Bloomberg. Only did that to win-he really makes me angry. Back on track now.
Pataki, been fun having ya. Ya didn't piss me off...well except when you locked off the subways because of the power outages in 2003 so we couldn't run in the tunnels. That made me sad ;_;
I'm not much of a Hillary fan, but I think it'd be nice to have a female presidential candidate for once.
Although we all know she'd lose for precisely that reason.
I think Condee Rice is the most viable female candidate for the White House. Of course having a female Executive would not endear the US to Muslim nations, but it might improve our image with Europe.
If the Dems put up Hil, the Republicans would be pretty much forced to nominate Condee. Sort of like a big poker match, "I'll see your female and raise you a female minority."
Anyways I'd rather be taking orders from Condee than Hil.
Jimro
A couple of years ago, there was a Tory politician over here who honestly <b>did</b> describe a black woman in Tony Blair's Cabinet as "Killing two minorities with one stone".
"I'll see your female and raise you a female minority."
"Well, I'll raise you double on a female minority with cereberal palsy."
Blah. That is kind of dumb.
Personally, if 2008 comes down to being between those two, I might have to expatriate.
I'm something of a moderate politically speaking; I vote for whomever I believe best fit for the job. But I don't know that I would want to stick around to see what happens to this country in the hands of either of those two. Neither seem to be at all Presidential material.
Surely the future will not be so bleak.
