It's not widely remembered, but during the 2006 AG race when Jeanine Pirro was on the ropes over bugging her husband, then LG-candidate David Paterson made a couple of comments defending her, saying it was a dumb issue.
Now that we know more about his own marital issues maybe it's more understandable, but at the time, some eyebrows were said to be raised in Camp Cuomo. But this seems to be a habit: Now Paterson, a Hillary backer, is saying some very helpful things for Obama -- basically, that Hillary has had her unfortunate hangers-on as well, and it's unfair to blame Obama for Wright.
From Daily Politics:
"I appreciated Sen. Obama's comments that he made the other day. Of course, I'm supporting Senator Clinton. But I don't want to be so pious as not to feel that this isn't an important issue that has risen in the campaign.
"I think it's actually kind of a shame that somebody who made such incendiary remarks then got the opportunities to appear before the National Press Club and all these other entities and now will be a recognized national figure for making these remarks and then basically repeating them.
"I think that what Sen. Obama did...it happened to Sen. Clinton as well. It has happened to probably many, many presidential candidates. Is because of the work they've done and because of the great difference they have made and because of their popularity others who were acquainted with them got an opportunity to derive personal gain off of really what is the status and the great work of others.
"I think that's unfortunate, and I thought he addressed it the best way he could. As I said, Sen. Clinton and even Sen. (John) McCain have been put in this situation."