My BTRadio partner Jazz Shaw writes today about a rather interesting situation that is taking place in his home state of New York.

I’ve been munching popcorn out here in the Empire State and watching next year’s gubernatorial race shape up for some time now. It’s been very entertaining in an electoral off year, with Governor David Paterson’s approval ratings cycling somewhere between dismal and “they’re just not that into you.” (He just ticked off a lot more Democrats by suspending fiscal support of ACORN.) The names and faces shift from week to week and rumors abound, but the same questions seem to keep popping up:

Will Paterson really seek a second term? (He says he will.)
Will Andrew Cuomo challenge him in a primary? (Andy has approval ratings in the mid-70’s but doesn’t want to go to war with a member of his own party who is also one of only two black governors in the nation.)
Will Rudy G. finally come off the bench and take a run for the GOP?
Will anyone ever remember who Rick Lazio is?

The story took on a new twist this weekend as word leaked out that President Obama sent a not so subtle message to the embattled New York Governor. “Time for you to get under the bus, pal.”

WASHINGTON — President Obama has sent a request to Gov. David A. Paterson that he withdraw from the New York governor’s race, fearing that Mr. Paterson cannot recover from his dismal political standing, according to two senior administration officials and a New York Democratic operative with direct knowledge of the situation.

The decision to ask Mr. Paterson to step aside was proposed by political advisers to Mr. Obama, but approved by the president himself, one of the administration officials said.

The Paper of Record refers to this as “an extraordinary intervention into a state political race by the president,” and it certainly caught me by surprise, but I’m not sure it’s entirely out of line.

This type of intervention is hardly extraordinary as many Minnesotans will tell you.  For you see it happened in Minnesota in 2002 when Presidential Advisor Karl Rove (working on behalf of President George W. Bush)  told then Representative Pawlenty that he needed to not run for the US Senate against then Senator Paul Wellstone.

Tim Pawlenty experienced Rove's influence firsthand. Pawlenty, the 42-year-old majority leader of the Minnesota statehouse, decided last year to run for the United States Senate against the liberal Paul Wellstone. Pawlenty was just the kind of candidate the Republican Party likes to tout: the son of a truck driver who worked his way through college and law school, a young star who had never lost an election.

The day before his big announcement speech, however, during an appearance at a town-hall meeting, Pawlenty's cellphone rang in his inside chest pocket. Karl Rove was calling. Rove kindly explained to Pawlenty that, with Democrats controlling the Senate by a single seat, the White House had decided it would be better if Norm Coleman, the more widely known former mayor of St. Paul, ran for the Senate instead. Rove wanted Pawlenty to cancel his announcement and get out of the race.

At the time many Minnesota Republican activists were upset (as I imagine many Democrats in NY are) at the interference from the White House in a "local" race.  However you do have to give President Obama credit for handling this issue in a particularly ham handed manner.  This really should have been a Rahm Emanual/David Axelrod move - not the President himself.  For in doing so he leaves himself open to criticism like this from RNC Chairman Michael Steele.....

UPDATE: Gov Paterson's response to the President "I don't think so" (HT Fausta)

Earlier today, Obama administration asks Gov. Paterson not to seek reelection in 2010.

Well, it didn’t take long for Paterson to give Obama the raspberry:
Paterson Says He Will Run, Rejecting Call From Obama

Gov. David A. Paterson defiantly vowed to run for election next year despite the White House‘s urging that he withdraw from the New York governor’s race.
…
“I have said time and time again that I am running for governor next year,” he said at the 40th annual African-American Day Parade.

Mr. Paterson would not characterize what he was told by the White House, saying that he would not “discuss confidential conversations.”

Pass the popcorn Jazz.....