If you where to have told me two days ago that David Patterson would have been sworn in as the next Governor of New York State, I would have been in disbelief. Even today, I am still in disbelief about the shocking revelation in New York Times that brought the once high flying Governor Spitzer to resign from his post as Governor of New York State, the third largest state in the nation.

It was Monday afternoon around 2:10 PM, when WAMC broke in with the news that the New York Times was reporting that the Governor hired a prostitute to meet with him in a Washington, DC hotel room, followed up by a much delayed press conference where the former Governor apologized for his indiscretion. The rumor mill ran high, and then letter that night he resigned his post.

I was in shock when WAMC broke into the new program for a special bulletin. At first announcement, I thought a major political leader had been assassinated. I instantly though either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama had been slain in the most terrible fashion. From the tone of Alan Chartock, I knew something truly terrible had happened. But instead what had happened is our Governor was slay himself by his indiscretion.

Former Governor Spitzer was elected by the greatest margin of any New York governor, receiving 7 out of every 10 votes cast only a little over a year ago. Monday, he resigned as one of the most disgraced governors in our state history. He made an incredibly stupid and arrogant mistake by hiring a high-priced prostitute for sexual favors. This not only is a criminal offense, it offends the moral senses of the collective New York conscience.

The upside is the former governor admitted that he made a mistake and made the choice to leave the governorship, ending what could have become a long nightmare for all New Yorkers. We could have gone through impeachment proceedings brought by the Assembly and held by the State Senate, but he chose to do the dignified thing, resigning and taking responsibility for his unacceptable behavior that he engaged in, at a D.C. hotel on a cold night less then a month ago.

As of this afternoon, our Governor is now David Patterson, a man at least as qualified if not more qualified then Governor Spitzer to run our state. The first African American governor of our state, and the first legally blind Governor in the nation he promises to continue many of the reforms first announced by Governor Spitzer. Patterson has shown us his mastery of energy issues, which will suit us well as energy prices continue to rise and we face the challenge of global climate change.

He is far more progressive then his predecessor Spitzer, and truly believes in the progressive agenda. Spitzer in contrast was more moderate. It should be interesting to see if Patterson will propose more progressive policies, or will push forward more pragmatic policies that he knows he can get past. While Spitzer was more of a show horse, Patterson is a real workhorse, for the progressive cause.

David Patterson also has shown that he understands the not only the responsibility of elected position, but also how to get things done in Albany. As Senate Minority Leader until his run for Lieutenant Governor in 2006, he showed that even as a minority leader, he could fight the good fight, and utilize the position to best represent the issues faced by Senate Democrats.

Patterson also is a friend of the media, and knows how to best represent the positions of his new body, the Governorship. While former Governor Spitzer often seemed antagonistic of all and always spoiling for a fight, Patterson's jovial attitude will win him friends even with enemies, and restore the prestidige of the New York State Governorship. Indeed, Governor Spitzer biggest enemy in the media, Fred Dicker of the New York Post, is one of David Patterson's closest friends.

The relationship between Governor Patterson and Senate Majority Leader Joesph Bruno will likely be far friendlier then that of the previous governor. While to be sure, David Patterson will work with Senate Democratic Leader Malcom Smith to get his majority. But Patterson will do this with grace and tact that the former governor never had. It's a clean slate between the new governor and the Majority Leader, and the fight will be much more cordial then in the past.

I look forward to David Patterson governorship. I believe he will be able to continue many of the good things of the former governor, but not carry the baggage that Spitzer picked up early on in his term of governor. I worry a little bit that David Patterson will not be as much of an innovator willing to stir thing up and change New York as much, but I believe he will be very effective at his leadership of our great state.

Then who knows about 2010. Maybe Patterson will build his stature and run for re-election as a truly great governor and overcome the difficulties of the previous Spitzer administration. Or that opens up the possibilities for some truly great New Yorkers, such as Tom Suozzi or Andrew Cuomo. That election is still two and half years away, or twice the time it took Spitzer to self-destruct. A lot can happen in that time, that nobody can predict all of the possibilities.