Paterson tries to explain party loss

WASHINGTON — Gov. David A. Paterson had more than usual in common with the state's Democratic congressional delegation as he came to the Capitol Wednesday for a lame-duck session meeting — many of the politicians in the room will be looking for jobs come January.

For that reason, perhaps, Mr. Paterson, who finishes his term next month, carried some weight as he and lawmakers discussed what went wrong for their party on Election Day — a muddled campaign message and willingness to let government spend beyond its means, he told reporters afterward.

"There was a discussion of how to craft a message that's more familiar and more understandable to the public," said Mr. Paterson, who decided not to run for re-election rather than risk paving the way for a Republican successor. "I think there was confusion in the Democratic Party about spending more money than we had."

"If we were all speaking on the same page, we could avoid these problems at the polls," Mr. Paterson added.

Among the departing upstate lawmakers in the room were Reps. Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls; Michael A. Arcuri, D-Utica; and John Hall, D-Dover Plains. Rep. Daniel B. Maffei, D-Syracuse, who also attended, is narrowly behind his GOP opponent, awaiting a complete count of absentee ballots.

He said he spoke specifically to Mr. Maffei about his Election Day fortune; the congressman trails by fewer than 700 votes.

Mr. Paterson had more than just the congressional delegation on his mind. He discussed the uncertain balance of power in the state Senate, said Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, saying either a 31-31 tie or a 32-30 Republican majority appear most likely.

There were some technical aspects to the post-election ruminations, Mr. Owens said, as Mr. Paterson cited difficulties with some voting machines.

Unlike the governor has done on some visits to Washington, Mr. Paterson did not run down a detailed list of funding needs for New York. The momentum in Congress is now clearly against increased spending, particularly on home-state items.

Although he seemed to criticize Democrats on their fiscal approach, the governor said the party does not deserve blame for the growing federal budget deficit. Former President George W. Bush inherited a Democratic budget surplus and turned it into a deficit within 48 months, Mr. Paterson said without mentioning two specific reasons: the military response to 9-11 and wide-ranging tax cuts.

Mr. Paterson also cautioned against any hope that deep cuts in programs in New York can be averted when the Legislature returns for a late November session. The top item on the agenda will be to fill an immediate budget deficit of $315 million.

The state's budget gap could reach $9 billion for next year, the state's Budget Division has said. And deficits could reach $40 billion over the next three years, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reported earlier this week.

With such deep cuts being contemplated, including layoffs, "you're going to see some very needed services go by the wayside," Mr. Paterson said. And while unforeseen revenue could dull the effect, he said, "I wouldn't expect that there would be a reversal."