War Room

Say it ain't so, David Paterson

New York's new governor admits that both he and his wife have had extramarital affairs.

On Monday morning, it seemed as if our long Empire State nightmare was over. David Paterson was sworn in as New York's governor, replacing Eliot Spitzer, who resigned in disgrace last week after reports of his alleged dalliances with prostitutes emerged.

Paterson even seemed to wipe all those bad memories away in just a few moments during his inaugural speech -- heck, we even declared him the best politician ever.

Then came the New York Daily News article. Monday night, the paper reported that David Paterson and his wife, Michelle, had revealed in interviews that both of them had extramarital affairs "during a rocky period in their marriage several years ago." For the moment, this likely won't have much of an effect on Paterson, as there's no allegation of wrongdoing beyond the infidelity yet -- but Paterson obviously did want to get out ahead of this story by admitting to it in advance, and he'll reportedly be speaking publicly about the matter later Tuesday.

We think the saga of New York state government that has gone on over the past week just proves the truth of a colleague's admonition Monday night: Please, have your elected officials spayed or neutered. It's the most important thing you can do for them.

Politics in the news

Loading...

About War Room

War Room is written and edited by Alex Koppelman, with contributions from Salon reporters around the country.

Currently in Salon

  • From Balloon Boy to Sarah Palin's death panels, the media chased a lot of hoaxes in 2009 and called them news
  • Special ho-ho-ho-infused, not-quite-gift-guide edition: MST3K, Wenders, film noir, wine snobs and more
  • Grab a partner. You have some cooking to do. Plus: Last week's winners
  • From cash-strapped polygamists to rogue lawn mowers at Sterling Cooper, the greatest shows dared to provoke
  • Sex scandals, swine flu, tea parties, Michele Bachmann -- and that's just the first half of 2009
  • What the Democrats can learn from the Republicans about managing the ménage à trois within the party
  • At least, I was until now. Because in my circle, nothing is more embarrassing than being religious
  • Jacob Hacker breaks with fellow progressives, comes out in favor of the Senate's proposal
  • She never became Hollywood's It girl, but she was as daffy and heartbreaking as her A-list contemporaries
  • An extraordinary new memoir by a college jock whose brain began to bleed

Other News