Polls show New York Gov. David Paterson (D) as one of the least popular governors in the nation and the leadership revolt in the state Senate isn't helping improve his stature. The governor has been "largely relegated to the sidelines" in the dispute, reports the New York Times.
However, Paterson made "one of the more unusual pleas for sanity" when he asked lawmakers to "think of the lobbyists" in urging their return to the Senate. He went on to explain that they had worked hard "to persuade legislative leaders and legislators of issues."