Is Governor Paterson A Progressive Hero?

These days it's hard to find someone who likes Gov. David Paterson of New York. His approval rating hovers around 20 percent. Seventy-five percent of New York Democrats would prefer his primary opponent, Andrew Cuomo. The President of the United States reportedly asked him not to run.

Yet, even if he leaves office disliked among those in his own party, Paterson is poised to leave having accomplished two of the top two things on the progressive wish list: reforming New York's draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws and passing a marriage equality bill. Last night, the New York State Assembly passed the bill for the third time, and the bill's sponsor in the State Senate claims the votes are there to pass the bill, which Paterson has championed for months.

If Paterson signs a marriage equality bill -- and the odds right now are looking pretty good -- I suspect his administration will look very different to liberals and Democrats in hindsight. It's also worth noting that what's happening in New York is taking place across a backdrop of LGBT rights gains in which black people are centrally involved, from marriage equality in DC, to the election yesterday of Simone Bell to the Atlanta City Council and November's election of Charles Pugh in Detroit.

UPDATE: Marriage equality goes down 38-24, with few "no" votes explaining themselves. Democrats' inability to count votes is apparently a problem that extends to state legislatures.

-- A. Serwer