Governor Paterson's New BFF: Bo Dietl

David Paterson complains that he's a serious leader who gets no respect and today's Page Six in the Post offers one more clue why he's got that little problem: His latest best hang-around pal and political ally is none other than Bo Dietl, the self-inflated private eye to the stars whose idea of a good belly-acher is to call a Democrat a "panty-wearing faggot."

The Post reports that Paterson was a surprise guest at a Dietl's Xmas party at Spark's steakhouse last week. The two got along so well, that when Paterson called Dietl to thank him, the ex-cop immediately invited the gov up to Rao's for a Christmas eve dinner at the famed East Harlem mob eatery where the private dick commands his own table. Paterson was so honored by the occasion that he brought along his daughter Ashley.

Dietl was impressed, he told the Post: "The governor is one cool dude. He's a lot sharper than people think. He's got himself geared up. He's focusing. Beware, Andrew."

Let's see, it's hard to keep track of Dietl's nonstop antics, but last month, Media Matters caught him on the Imus show suggesting that Senator Harry Reid needs to be "slapped in the face...knock those glasses off his face."

A few days before that he was saying that Katie Couric used to "look American" but now "looks Oriental."

Makes you wonder what gems the motor-mouth Dietl is coming up with for his legally-blind pal, the governor.

Not that it would really matter to Paterson. Dietl is a potential entree point to a raft of Wall Street fatcats, Republicans all, including the group that cheered loudest for Eliot Spitzer's takedown. Who better to enlist as potential allies against Andrew Cuomo?