It is 1:15 pm and at a joint session of the state Assembly and the
Senate in Albany, Lt. Governor David Paterson is being sworn in as the first black governor in New York history and the first blind one, too.
David Paterson is funny. He’s endearing. He’s a terrific speaker. I think we’re going to love him! Let’s hope we love him.
He is adorable!
He introduces the dignitaries in attendance like a host on a late night talk show. Pataki is there. Hugh Carey. Andrew Cuomo. Mike Bloomberg. David N. Dinkins. Edward I. Koch. Governor Corzine from New Jersey They’re all there.
Introducing Chuck Schumer, Paterson says, "The senior Senator from New York and of course a rose from Brooklyn, Charles Schumer." Introducing Hillary he says, "The junior Senator from New York who has a lot of places to go these days and I am so flattered that she would come be be here today Senator Hillary Clinton."
The crowd is cheering. The crowd is chanting "David, David, David." They love him in Albany. Boy do they love him.
He introduces the former Secretary State of New York, his father Basil Patterson. And finally, he introduces his beautiful wife, his step-daughter, and his son.
"This transition is a historic message to the world that we live among the same value that we profess and that we are a government of laws and not individuals. Today, we can be proud of our democracy. This has been a turbulent week. Today is Monday there is work to be done, an oath to be taken, trust to be restored…"
Unfortunately, I have to leave to go to my son’s school so I can’t hear the rest of this historic speech…
Actually – both Richard and BKmami are wrong. Bob Cowley Riley, who was governor of Arkansas for 11 days in 1975 was the nation’s first legally blind governor. He is, of course, New York’s first blind governor.
Paterson must be one of the first in this category: admitting marital problems and affairs on his first day!
Think of the history of gubernatorial marital stress, at least in New York … Spitzer, Carey, Rockefeller, FDR …
elsewhere [and this is more goober-natorial] … William Jefferson [Blythe] Clinton … etc. etc.
BKmami is right. The first African-American governor was P.B.S. Pinchback, a Republican, who served as the Governor of Louisiana for thirty-five days, from December 9, 1872, to January 13, 1873.
Later, of course, he went on to found the Public Broadcasting System.
Actually, he’s not the first Black governor in American history. Massachusetts, Virginia, and technically, Louisiana beat us to it. He is the first Black governor in NY History. And yes, the first blind governor in American history.
I think it’s 1:15 pm :)