Paterson: There was no ‘authorized’ message not to run in 2010

New York Gov. David Paterson (D) said Sunday that nobody in the White House has officially urged him not to run for election in 2010.

Paterson engaged in a battle of language with the host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” David Gregory, who tried to press Paterson on exactly what was contained in the message from the Obama administration, which has been reported to have urged him not to run.

{mosads}“I’m blind, but I’m not oblivious,” Paterson said. “I realize that there are people who don’t want me to run. I’ve never gotten an explicit indication authorized from the White House that I shouldn’t run.”

Pressed further, Paterson acknowledged the White House has passed along concerns about his lack of popularity, but he said that he won’t be deterred.

“They certainly sent a message that they have concerns, and I appreciate that,” he said. “But let me tell you, at the outset, I am running for governor in 2010. I don’t think that this is an issue other than for the people of New York to decide.”

In his own Sunday show appearance, Vice President Joe Biden backed up Paterson’s assertion.

“No one is demanding, to the best of my knowledge, that the governor step down,” Biden told TV One’s Roland Martin. “If it can be shown that he can win, he should stay in the race.”