As New York Gov. David Paterson prepares to leave office at the end of the month, he’s giving himself slightly better-than-average marks for his nearly three years at the state’s helm.
Paterson, who was elevated to the governorship in 2008 after Eliot Spitzer’s resignation amid a prostitution scandal, told The New York Times he would give himself a grade of B-.
“Some things went well, some things went not so well,” Paterson said. “It was a privilege. It was an honor. I would serve. I would do it again.”
He’ll be succeeded on Jan. 1 by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the son of former Gov. Mario Cuomo. All are Democrats.
Paterson, who’s had plenty of his own controversies, is not ruling out another run for public office but also made clear in his interview with the Times that he wants to find a job that pays better than the government does. “I am worried about money because I am not a billionaire, in case you hadn’t heard,” he said.
The legally blind Paterson, who doesn't read Braille or use a cane, said he’s bracing for life without state employees who have helped him with even the smallest tasks.
“If I go into a grocery store, the state police come in with me,” he said. “It’s kind of like, “Hey, Governor, just tell us what you need, and we’ll get it for you.’ And, I know, I have to adjust.”
