Poll: Paterson Hated, Gillibrand Unknown

Paterson and his Albany enablers finally drove the limping budget over the finish line last week, and the Governor's reward is a 28 percent approval rating in a Quinnipiac poll. While that's two points better than the score he got a month ago, that poll was taken by the Marist Institute; by Quinnipiac's standards 28 percent is "the lowest approval ever for a New York Governor." Also, regarding his latest achievement, the state budget, only 19 percent of interviewees approve and 70 percent disapprove of the Governor's handling. Quinnipiac director Maurice Carroll offers this unusually grim analysis: "Don't wait for 2010, Governor, New Yorkers say. Announce now that you won't run. Voters say almost 3-1 Paterson doesn't deserve a full 4-year term." Paterson's doing so badly that -- get this! -- some people are thinking of running Rick Lazio against him. Burn!

In the same poll, Kirsten Gillibrand rates a "Who?" 54 percent of respondents have no opinion of her performance -- down, at least, from the 62 percent who declined an opinion on Gillibrand in February, but still hilariously high, especially considering that Gillibrand replaced a Senator about whom even people 2,000 from the jurisdiction had strong opinions. How we wish there were a tape of respondents' reactions to this question: "Gillbrain? Gullawhatnow?" Wisely, Gillibrand has started getting around the state a little more. Maybe by the next election, people will know more about her.